Due to changing demographics in Germany and the UK and associated retirement policies, in organisations age diversity is expected to increase. Previous research has suggested that age diversity can impact innovation on different organisational levels. On the individual level increased age is associated with a decline of fluid cognitive abilities, which are relevant for the development of innovative ideas. On the organisational level, conflicts, and age stereotypes have a negative impact on innovation. To prevent and even reverse the adverse impact of age diversity on innovation, an innovation support scheme for SMEs was developed and piloted in a previously conducted research project in Germany. This scheme included interventions for individuals and leaders. At the individual level, a cognitive ability training was introduced to reduce the decline of fluid cognitive abilities and in turn increase the generation of innovative ideas particularly for older employees. Moreover, a leadership training was introduced, which emphasizes on reducing age stereotypes and associated conflicts and enhance appreciation of age diversity. DINNOS, aims to conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of this innovation support scheme in a sample of SMEs from Germany and the UK. In both countries, we will conduct a large scale randomized control trial involving an experimental- and a waiting-list control group with N=300 SMEs, and N=400 individual employees across both countries, which will be equally divided to both groups. On the individual level we will examine cognitive ability, individual creativity and innovation as outcomes. Whereas on the organisational level outcomes will consist of self-reported indicators, such as reduced age stereotypes and team innovation as well as objective outcomes such as number of submitted ideas and patents.

There are political incentives for start-ups and scale-ups, like the Commission's Start-up and Scale-up Initiative. It is supposed to bring Europe's innovative SMEs different opportunities to grow and find there place in the global competitive market. There are also supporting tools for the beginning of the entrepreneurial life, but few companies survive beyond the critical first few years. There are numerous mentors and advisers, forming a huge consulting society, each of them claiming high competence and ability to lead a company to the top of the world. It is very difficult for the entrepreneurs, especially having not much experience, to assess the value, which a specific consulting could bring. The strong EC commitment is to improve this situation. There’s not much of a support system for more mature, small companies with proven business models. With this project creates support system in the field of adult education and training. The Steps2Scale developed a harmonized qualification framework for the profession Scaling up adviser which doesn’t ‘exist in any EU country. With the creation of a harmonized occupation profile the consortium also creates the first network and community of scaling up mentors and envoys. In order to prepare the first scaling up advisers, the project also developed a harmonized training and learning methodology which was field tested during the project implementation. The Steps2Scale studied and implemented the best existing practices throughout EU. Professionals from different communities and possessing a variety of expertise gave valuable recommendations, which were, mostly, reflected. During the project course it was presented before similar project in the Alps region and received extremely positive feedback. In addition, the quality of the products is guaranteed by the logical three phase approach applied to them: development, testing and finalizing. The project reached thousands of representatives of the target groups and stakeholders through various communication channels. It is targeted to start-ups and spin-offs with at least 5 years of experience, balanced business plan and defined local market niche; SMEs with innovative product which is already well placed on the local market and has export potential; SMEs with export strategy and potential, but still local players. 82 entrepreneurs from the target group were trained while testing the training and learning methodology. The project partners utilized almost every opportunity to promote the Steps2Scale: Enterprise Europe Network meetings, side events with appropriate topics, similar projects etc. Consortium is convinced that high level of awareness among the business environment and the respective decision making public bodies. All developed materials are already published and available on the dedicated website, which will serve as an open platform after the project end, where members of the scaling-up community will exchange ideas and knowledge and interested entrepreneurs and educators (more than 50,000 already registered) will have direct access to the Scaling-up Envoys network. The deliverables were published in the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform as well. This way more people can benefit from the project even after its end. The Steps2Scale will create an environment that fosters competitiveness, business thinking, innovation and creativity. The scaling-up adviser is the profession of one more competitive and fast growing future of the EU. The project partners believe that with Steps2Scale will lay the foundation with knowledge which will eventually result in more scaling up SMEs in Europe.

Sustainable economic development is possible through the active participation of young students into every sphere of life, especially employment and entrepreneurship. Young students having jobs and leadership roles in business, enables them to be economically productive, to have an increased standard of living and also to increase their countries’ economic output and to foster the economic prosperity of the next generation. Despite the importance of young students’ participation in economic life, youth creativity and entrepreneurial potential are an under-exploited source of economic growth and job that should be further developed (European Commission). Despite these promising actions and support programmes developed accordingly, young students still face some major challenges which sometimes cannot be transcended easily when establishing and running a business, such as reconciling business and education concerns. Young students continue to shoulder a disproportionate part of the responsibilities involved in studying at universities and many young students feel that they have to choose between a good educational career and their future objectives. A solution for them to actively participate in economic life by coping with this challenge is to engage in entrepreneurial activities and international markets which necessitate maximum mobility while acting in a larger market at the same time. This solution is simply to gain experience on global markets and is especially relevant for young students who have limited opportunities to work abroad and trying to take part in their local market, and also for those who wish to start their own business in foreign trade but have mobility barriers. In addition to the challenge of reconciling business and eduvational concerns, EC underlines three more important challenges faced by youth entrepreneurs; access to emprical information, on-site training and access to networks for business purposes. All these barriers signal that; young students who would like to businesses in foreign trade and who have limited access to international business network are in need of information and training provided at their locality in order to flourish their business ideas through foreign trade activities and global networks. The trainings and all relevant information from starting a business for foreign trade to business planning and management should also be provided through innovative solutions for them to reach at anytime and anywhere they wish. YOUNG TRADE AMBASSADORS Project has been designed as it will address these constraints and needs of young students. The project will increase the entrepreneurship initiatives of young students through foreign trade activities by the development and implementation of high quality learning tools which will be developed according to comparative analysis of learning needs of young students and potential foreign traders, and will include all relevant training modules for starting and running business for foreign trade, best practices, sources of further information, self-assessment tool, business model development wizard and a simple webshop for selling&exporting products to international markets.It aims to solve the problems of the partner countries who are in need of qualified personnel who can speak languages in native fluency of the target market countries, as well as to increase the foreign trade volume of the partner countries by creating synergies among the foreign buyers of partner countries which are engaged in production and sales in different sectors.In these regards, the project is addressing the priorities of Key Action 2, for contributing to increased sense of initiative and entrepreneurship with increased level of digital competence, improved levels of skills for employability and new business creation, increased opportunities for professional development and increased motivation and satisfaction at daily work. Besides, the project contributes to improving and extending the offer of high quality learning opportunities that are tailored to individual young learners’ needs through groups in need and also designing and implementing effective provision for enhancing key competences of specific young target groups that are currently not well served, by establishment of a strong transnational partnership. The partnership is composed of the organisations which have specific expertise in each core dimension of the project; such as development and delivery of trainings on foreign trade and entrepreneurship (Bursa Technical University), learning development modules (Bursa Technical University), integration of students and SMEs (all other partners).

A national service in support of recipients of the H2020 SME Instrument and for the improvement of innovation management in SMEs, with the purpose of more companies with growth potential achieving global scaling. Innovation is a vital ingredient of growth and an important element of the future success of the UK. With some 95% of R&D and innovation conducted outside of the UK and many major and lead market shaping companies being of non-UK origin, access to knowledge, markets, skills and partners is increasingly taking place on a global basis. To ensure UK business stays competitive it is important that it is able to effectively access and exploit the growing global investment in research and innovation. Through EEN ENIW activities we will help businesses build collaborations and partnerships and access the finance, knowledge, skills, networks and customers to more rapidly move a concept through to commercialisation and to scale their business.

A national service in support of recipients of the H2020 SME Instrument and for the improvement of innovation management in SMEs, with the purpose of more companies with growth potential achieving global scaling. Innovation is a vital ingredient of growth and an important element of the future success of the UK. With some 95% of R&D and innovation conducted outside of the UK and many major and lead-market shaping companies being of non-UK origin, access to knowledge, markets, skills and partners is increasingly taking place on a global basis. To ensure UK business stays competitive it is important that it is able to effectively access and exploit the growing trend towards global investment in research and innovation. Through our fully integrated EEN ENIW activities we will help businesses build collaborations and partnerships and access the finance, knowledge, skills, networks and customers to more rapidly move a concept through to commercialisation and to scale their business.