EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Market-oriented innovation and implementation in SMEs

Market-oriented innovation and implementation in SMEs - Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Introduction

This project is aimed at stimulating and financially supporting SME companies in relation to technological, organisational and market development. Support is available for the costs of external input in the areas of market evaluation, feasibility survey, production of prototypes, commercialisation costs, marketing plan and personnel and training policy.

Description

Stimulating and supporting SME companies in the programme area in terms of renewal (new for the company) in the area of technology, organisational and market development. In the implementation of the project, the accent will be on supporting the more dynamic business operation, considering the fact that this target group has a more innovative and economically structured character. The accent will be on technological development, organisational development and market development.

Approach

The project consists of support to the SME in the form of:

individual assistance;
implementation and commercialisation strategies;
advice;
innovations;
support for starters.

This support will be provided by means of advertising, advisory assistance, implementation and commercialisation, innovations, workshops and publicity.

Results

The project will lessen the risk of innovation for companies and they will be stimulated to cooperate and exchange knowledge.

Resources used

European subsidy: € 353.675
Total cost: € 1.595.651

EU involvement

This project has been partially funded with Objective 2 funds. Since 2000 nine cities have been eligible for the Objective 2 Urban Areas in the Netherlands programme, which forms part of the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRD) of the European Union. EFRD is one of the four Structural Funds of the European Commission. The programme helps cities to carry out projects that benefit disadvantaged areas.

In the Netherlands, total European Objective 2 subsidies concern 192 million euros. 4.25% of the Dutch population lives in the selected areas.

The European Commission prescribes that for every euro from the EFRD, a minimum of one euro must be contributed from the government. The cities must therefore add their own public or private funding to the European subsidy. The European programme is linked to the urban plans agreed within the context of the urban policy of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. For this, the cities can make use of funds that have been allocated to them in the context of the national urban policy.

Contact info

Nijmegen Kanaalgebied - local programme management
Phone: +31 24 3292065

Project start date

01/04/2002

Links

City of Nijmegen

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Research & innovation

Keywords

Implementation & production