SME MPOWER

Wihin CoachCom2020 (H2020-635518; 09/2014-11/2016) the smE-MPOWER team helped the EASME (the European Commission Agency responsible for the management of the SME Instrument initiative) in the development of a their business innovation coaching offered to the beneficiaries of the Horizon 2020 SME Instrument... The coaching system is the result of a step-by-step development process. In 2002, Western Switzerland decided to focus their Regional Innovation Strategy on the untapped innovation potentials of the SMEs in the region. The evidence at the time was that almost half of the SMEs' innovation projects weren't implemented successfully due to considerable internal shortfalls. In contrast to the traditional innovation policy that focused on the supply side (research organisations etc.), the regional choice centred clearly on a need and demand driven approach.