Innovative small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)

In many companies opportunities for innovation lie dormant. Ideas for new products, new service concepts, improved organizational processes or new approaches to customers await their realization. These potentials can be better exploited with an external coach guiding through the process of shaping innovation ideas, forming strategic partnerships, and applying to appropriate external funding sources. Along this way, competitiveness can be increased long term.

Regional SME support networks

Various intermediary agencies and networks have the task to support companies in their region. Often they are networked internationally, as for example in the European Enterprise Network. Intermediaries open up new paths to sustainable development for SMEs that are oriented towards business innovation. They themselves, however, need also to constantly explore new ways for improving their own services and competences. They face the challenge of reorganizing themselves in the form of an adaptive network organization with professional knowledge and competence management. They want to be able to train for tomorrow’s consulting services already today. This is why international "good practices" in regional innovation support are of great interest to them.