Presentation of PPI2Innovate project to SME´s sector: ZAGREB, Croatia

Croatian agency for SME's, Innovations and Investments presented PPI2Innovate, Interreg Central Europe project, and topic of Innovation procurement to private sector.

The event was held on May 8th, 2018 in the Croatian Employers' Association (HUP) with whom HAMAG-BICRO has a long history of business relations and integrations.

As the introduction, participants were welcomed by HAMAG-BICRO's Deputy of the president of the Board, Mr. Boris Guina and Mrs. Jasminka Martinović, director of branch associations (HUP).

Mr. Guina emphasized PPI2Innovate project as important opportunity for Innovative SME's to place their innovative solutions to Croatian market. Mrs. Martinović thanked HAMAG-BICRO for the response and expressed contentment for Innovation procurement to be better explained and discussed among SME's in Croatia.

Mrs. Tihana Jelača, project manager and Mrs. Magdalena Dovečer, project team member held a presentation of PPI2Innovate project, activities and deliverables.

After short introduction Mr. Anđelko Rukelj, Deputy of the president of State Commission for Supervision of Public Procurement Procedures, held a "lecture“ on Innovation procurement; he explained main definitions of PPI, PCP, Partnership for Innovation, and their implementation and relation to Public Procurement Act. After a short break, Mr. Rukelj continued with similar topic – consolidation of Entrepreneurship and PPI – challenges and perspectives.

Followed by a discussion, SME's asked questions but the main focus was the core definition of PPI – mapping the need and offering the innovative solutions, as easy as it sounds, still holds a great interest but also doubts for companies developing innovations.

This was another good opportunity to reach the public, in this case SME's, and we hope to hold more of similar events in the future.