Did you know about Enterprise Europe Network – which helps companies innovate and grow internationally

The EEN helps businesses innovate and grow on an international scale. It is the world’s largest support network for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with international ambitions.

The Network is active in more than 60 countries worldwide. It brings together 3,000 experts from more than 600 member organisations – all renowned for their excellence in business support.

The most interesting part of EEN, for SYNERGY beneficiaries, is support for innovation. The Enterprise Europe Network helps businesses, research network and/or academics, bring innovative ideas to commercial success on international markets. Innovation support services are open to all kinds of users. Network experts are there to assess which services are best suited to the specific development phase of your business.

At an entry level, Network services include:

• information on innovation-related policies, legislation and support programmes
• links with local innovation stakeholders
• information about access to local sources of funding/support

One step further, Network experts provide one-to-one services, including:

• innovation audits and strategy advice
• advice on intellectual property rights
• technology and innovation brokerage services
• advice on technology marketing
• advice on access to finance for innovation
• support to access funding programmes (including Horizon 2020)

The next level of Network services are specifically designed to support potentially innovative businesses that are struggling with innovation management.

These services help businesses plan and manage their innovation activities and align their innovation strategy with other business processes.

In practice, Network experts:

• perform an innovation management capacity and gaps assessment, in close cooperation with your senior management
• develop an action plan with you to tackle identified gaps
• help your business carry out the action plan
• indicate paths for further development
  
  

Find more information on the EEN website: https://een.ec.europa.eu/content/support-business-innovation.