The ERA-Net “Cofund on BioTechnologies” (ERA CoBioTech) aims to better use synergies between current mechanisms of biotechnology research funding in Europe, to highlight the benefits of a bio-based economy for society, and to thus maintain and strengthen Europe’s global lead in modern biotechnology. The co-funded call will focus on application-oriented research in: a) Synthetic biology approaches to design and construct new biological parts, devices and systems b) Systems biology approaches to metabolic engineering and optimisation of biological processes c) Identification and use of the metabolic potentials of genomic data d) Chemical and biotechnological approaches to transform bio-based molecules into molecules with high added value. Bundling three predecessor ERA-Nets in the area of biotechnology, ERA CoBioTech significantly increases public funding (call volume ~ 30 Mio €), intensifies collaboration across relevant sectors and countries, and thus - advances RD&I in industrial biotechnology - establishes systems and synthetic biology as technology drivers in applied biotechnology, and - enhances the potential for exploitation through active industry involvement. Necessary steps and measures to achieve these goals will be encompassed in a joint Strategic Agenda. With a “European Biotechnology Hub”, ERA CoBioTech realises an entirely new concept, reaching out to key actors and stakeholders from multiple biotechnology-related areas in order to align different European strategic instruments with the goals of the KET biotechnology programme under Horizon 2020 and to increase public awareness of biotechnology for industrial uses. ERA CoBioTech will implement additional funding activities without EC co-funding, which will advance RD&I in industrial biotechnology in line with the Strategic Agenda and the outcomes of the "European Biotechnology Hub." ERA CoBioTech thus provides biotechnology stakeholders with tailor-made support regarding information, communication, networking and funding.

In a survey undertaken in 2011 for DG Enterprise and Industry, SMEs and SME support organisations considered the inability to manage innovation processes efficiently and effectively as the second most important barrier to SME innovation (after 'lack of financial resources'). The TOPIC2INNO project aims at delivering services enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs by the Enterprise Europe Network TOPIC. Its geographical area covers the Paris Ile-de-France region, the Centre region, New Caledonia and French Polynesia. The project will be implemented during a 24-month period, from the 1st January 2015 to the 31st December 2016. The objective of this project is to: - Provide SMEs benefiting from the SME instrument with a regional support (“Key Account Manager”, hereafter KAM) - Provide a selection of SMEs that are capable of growth and successful internationalisation with an evaluation of their innovation capacities, and an action plan to address identified bottlenecks. (“Innovation Management System Advisers”, hereafter IMSA) The project will aim at initiating between 170 and 190 service packages. This number is based on the following assumptions: a. More than 50 SMEs selected for phase 1 during the two-year duration b. More than 30 SMEs selected for phase 2 during the two-year duration c. Continuation of the SME journey from phase 1 to phase 2 or support by IMSA after phase 1 d. High interest from SMEs to benefit from the IMSA service

Implementation of KAM and EIMC activities in the EEN TOPIC geographical area for the 2017-2018 period.