Helping ambitious businesses
innovate and grow internationally
• EEN is the key project by which the European Commission is helping SME businesses to develop through commercial, technology and research partnerships
• In the UK, being co-funded by Innovate UK, we seek to provide expert advice and guidance in order to help ambitious businesses commercialise their innovations, find international business partners and grow through succeeding in new markets
Why engage with Europe? Grow a market share in up to 28 countries Exploit new markets: 500 million potential customers Identify new opportunities Improve products/technologies Gain competitive advantage over businesses which have
not internationalised
Enterprise Europe Network – World’s largest network for SMEs (over 3 million supported)
Enterprise Europe Network - Overview
• EC-managed business support network includes over 600 partner organizations in 63 countries
• The world’s largest network for SMEs – 2300 contractual agreements facilitated in 2013
• Local perspective: helping Welsh SMEs to internationalize their business activities by finding new partner organizations outside the UK and supporting their negotiations towards long-term working agreements
• 100% funded (for partnering inside EU)
600+ partner organisations in 63 countries with 3000 local experts
Albania China Greece Latvia Paraguay Sweden
Argentina Croatia Hungary Lithuania Peru Switzerland
Armenia Cyprus Iceland Luxembourg Poland Taiwan
Austria Czech Republic India Macedonia, fYRo Portugal Tunisia
Belarus Denmark Indonesia Malta Romania Turkey
Belgium Egypt Ireland Mexico Russia Ukraine
Bosnia and
Herzegovina Estonia Israel Moldova Serbia United Kingdom
Brazil Finland Italy Montenegro Singapore USA
Bulgaria France Japan Netherlands Slovakia
Canada Georgia Jordan New Zealand Slovenia
Chile Germany Korea, Republic of Norway Spain
EEN partner organizations typically comprise one or more mature organizations with comprehensive, established regional networks
Most countries have multiple partner organisations; collaborating with each other on a national level, as well as working internationally
Enterprise Europe Network What we do...
• Trans-national business matchmaking for commercial growth and supply chain expansion
• Assisting technology transfer in & out of Wales
• Supporting access to Horizon 2020 (incl. SME Instrument), Eurostars and other European funding schemes; also to Innovate UK competitions
• Supporting participation in brokerage events
• Providing information on commerce, legislation, IP, finance and taxation in the EU
Identifying clients’ commercial needs/offers, then finding suitable partners for:
• product distribution or sales agency
• supply chain development
• JV, merger or franchise agreement
• company sale or acquisition
• transport/logistics
• subcontracted or reciprocal production
Support for commercial and business development
Support for innovation and technology transfer
Identifying clients’ technology needs/offers, then finding suitable partners for:
• IP licensing agreement
• technical cooperation to adapt/develop
• joint ventures based on technology
• commercial agreement with tech support
• manufacturing agreement inc. expertise
All EEN advisors worldwide speak English and can provide a translation interface during discussions & negotiations with their countries’ businesses, universities and research bodies to help EEN clients make the most of opportunities in the European Union and beyond!
Enterprise Europe Network - How the Network functions...
Our Network's official language is English
Identifying SMEs most likely to benefit
Characteristic Preferred Ideal
Turnover £0.5M – 2M £2M+
Duration of trading 5-10 years 10+ years
No. employees 5-9 FTE 10+ FTE
Employee roles Functional separation Defined mngr roles & KPIs
Target markets Wide market applications Narrow/niche focus
Website English only Multi-language
Experience outside UK Some/unrelated Significant/related
Non-UK partners In discussions Active portfolio
Technology/IP Yes - unprotected Yes - protected
As EEN is 100% funded (for partnering inside the EU) we have a duty to invest taxpayers’ money in companies which are both:
• Extremely serious about establishing transnational partnerships
• Appropriately experienced & resourced to do so,
i.e. companies which have the strong potential to convert the support into transnational partnership agreements
Reason for identifying SMEs most likely to benefit from EEN support
The process
1ST meeting
Commercial review
and technology
audits
Partnership profile
Brokerage events
Expression of interest
Assistance with
negotiation
Partnership agreement
www.enterprise-europe.co.uk
The Catch? ... there isn’t one
• No defined time allocation - we screen for applicants likely to gain maximum benefit from the programme, then commit to investing as much time & effort as is required
• Long-term support process – ongoing partner-finding support to at least Dec. 2020
• 100% funded in EU & does not count towards de minimis ‘state aid’ allowance
• Information posted is anonymous until clients choose to divulge identity to a prospective trans-national partner
• No contract to sign - we simply request that each client wishing to use services signs a Client Engagement Charter
Close to 45% have Improved their technology
have developed a new product, service or implemented a new business process 1/2
More than
48.5% have reported an impact on their turnover
99.7% of companies would
recommend the services of the
network
Close to 55% gained
access to new markets
40% More than
have started a new business project
Client benefit delivered: worthwhile outcomes!
Client satisfaction survey carried out in the second half of 2010 among 637 clients of the Network.
Summary of 2013 EEN Achievements
• 2,295 confirmed contractual agreements between organisations for which EEN provided initial matching, introduction and support, of which estimated:
• 40% Commercial agreements
• 36% Research participation agreements
• 24% Technology transfer agreements
• Finding new contacts, personalised advice, the professional approach and support in events were the most appreciated services *
*based on analysis of 2078 returned client questionnaires
Detail of EEN 12-month actual performance for 2013
Individuals reached by Network promotion 17,831,178
Participants in local or regional events 199,082
First company meetings 31,827
Clients receiving internationalisation & innovation support 87,620
Clients in brokerage events and missions 24,044
Meetings at brokerage events and missions 71,427
Partnership Proposals produced 8,873
Expressions of interest received 18,956
Expressions of interest made 22,905
Business/Commercial agreements 911
Technology transfer agreements 559
FP7 proposals 825
Contractual agreements total 2295
EEN Consortium support delivery
Support Mode BIC Innovation Swansea University
Technology Transfer
Commercial Partners & Supply Chain
Research & Innovation (Horizon 2020 projects)
European Information
BIC Innovation Ltd. and Swansea University are 2 of the 21 delivery partners (130 staff) within the new ENIW consortium which is led by Innovate UK
Brokerage Events – what do they offer and achieve?
• If clients advise us of trade show attendance plans, EEN will seek to add value to the trips via 1-2-1 prospect meetings at associated brokerage events
• Brokerage Events set up meetings between prospective partners (who might otherwise have walked past each other in the aisles) and are organised to run alongside major trade shows, etc.
• Before the event, each participant can cross-match their objectives with all other participants and book targeted meetings. A meetings schedule is then prepared for each participant.
• Sitting down face to face with a potential partner accelerates the prospect qualification process.
• EEN partners can give translation support at events where required
• For events supported by EEN visit the website:
http://een.ec.europa.eu/tools/services/EVE/Event/ListEvents
E.g. 65 events of various types were listed for June 2015 alone
Brokerage events list
• SMEs can contact EEN for more details on any brokerage events of potential interest – please note that participation in most BEs is free of charge
If clients advise us as soon as they commit to any Welsh Government or UKTI trade mission, EEN may be able to add value to the trip by arranging meetings
Trade Missions: how EEN can help
• From country/region/city details, we identify EEN office
• We brief EEN partner with meeting objectives
• EEN partner suggests prospects & arranges meetings
• EEN partner can give translation support at meetings where required & facilitate follow-up
Some EEN programme links 2015-2020 …
• HORIZON 2020 Review & respond to consortium-building offers, advice on calls, bid review & advice; Innovate 2 Succeed
• SME Instrument Advice on proposal development or signpost potentially more suitable funding, signposting (WEFO, NCPs), provision of coaching for successful applicants
• Innovate UK Access point to Innovate UK programmes such as Entrepreneurial Skills Training ; collaboration with NCPs and KTN
• Welsh Government Through close ‘pipeline’ liaison with WEFO, Innovation Managers, Accelerated Growth Programme and International Trade team, client companies are cross-referred where relevant with the objective of delivering joined-up support
Entrepreneurial Skills Training
Workshop Subject
1 Defining your Value Proposition
2 Developing your Business Model
3 Testing & Refining your Business Model
4 Pricing Strategy & Tactics
5 Strategic Marketing
6 Web Fuelled Business
7 Selling & Negotiation
8 Building, Managing & Leading Winning Teams
9 Organisational Strategy & Development
10 Financial Management for Growth
11 Access to Finance For Growth
12 Mitigating & Managing Risk
• BIC & Swansea Uni have Innovate UK trained trainers
• Course participants will access the EST course via SME Instrument, Accelerated Growth Programme, Launchpad, Application for Innovate UK Funding, EEN, etc.
I2S – innovate 2 succeed
• Offered to selected EEN clients that are not on WG’s AGP
• Relevant to directors seeking to benefit from a business model review within the context of innovation management; including assessment of alignment across 10 strategic areas in your company
• Up to 5 days consultancy support (up to 2 days 1-2-1) inc. utilisation of GrowthMapper tool to underpin support requirements – reports remain confidential, with the assessed company owning the data
• Pace of delivery is flexible within a 3 month window
• A 100% funded programme under Horizon 2020
Access to funding and finance
There are many European funding and finance opportunities available to your business. We help you make sense of it all and understand what is right for your particular needs.
Using a thorough evaluation of your company’s project or business idea, Enterprise Europe Network experts can help your company to get vital finance through:
• access to business angels, venture capital and loans
• UK public grants
• Horizon 2020
• advice on research and development tax credits
UK SMEs wanting to participate in a EUREKA project can either self fund or apply for the Innovate UK SMART single company support programme.
SME Instrument :
Selecting candidates
Solution is feasible and better than
existing ones
Market opportunity
Company's potential to achieve proposed results
Market potential and economic impact
Excellence in innovation
Company's growth
potential Additional requirement for EU funding
EU added value to be demonstrated by the applicant
The company and the idea have to be here!
- This programme is targeted at innovation excellence – addressed at very
good companies and entrepreneurs - it is not an easy source of revenue!
- Propose only companies which have a good potential for this scheme
Enterprise Europe Network What we do... a reminder
• Trans-national business matchmaking for commercial growth and supply chain expansion
• Assisting technology transfer in & out of Wales
• Supporting access to Horizon 2020 (incl. SME Instrument) and other European funding schemes; also to Innovate UK competitions
• Supporting participation in brokerage events
• Providing information on commerce, legislation, IP, finance and taxation in the EU
www.enterprise-europe.co.uk
Lyndon Jones
07896556832
James Sheridan
07961 091 701 / 01248 671 101
Contact us to discuss how Enterprise Europe Network could potentially support the international development of your business.