This project is to be understood as a supplement to existing Enterprise Europe Network activities in North Rhine-Westphalia as well as preparation for future ones. For the period April to December 2014, ZENIT will undertake – as part of the existing NRW.Europa project – the additional task of “Enhancing the innovation management capacity of SMEs”. This task consists of two service packages pre-defined by the European Commission / EASME and foreseen for a limited number of enterprises: 1. Beneficiaries of the SME Instrument of Horizon 2020 (Key Account Management, KAM) 2. SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalization (promising SMEs with gaps in the innovation management system) Whereas the first action is reserved for beneficiaries of the SME instrument with a dedicated coaching scheme, the second action is targeted at highly promising, innovative enterprises, which will be assisted with a two-step support scheme: 1. Recording, analysis and evaluation of the individual status quo and of fundamental requirements and possibilities as well as of the threats and risks of the participating enterprises (analysis of needs and gaps, SWOT analysis). 2. Development and implementation of individual concepts, measures, and activities (action and / or coaching plan). ZENIT considers a combination of self-assessment and interview with a senior consultant to be the most effective solution for the first stage and to fulfil the requirements of CEN / TS 16555-1 (innovation management system).

This project is to be understood as an integrated component of the Enterprise Europe Network activities in North Rhine-Westphalia for the years 2017 -2018. For this period ZENIT will undertake - as part of the future NRW.Europa project - the additional task of "Enhancing the innovation manangement capacities of SMEs". This task consists of two service packages pre-defined by the European Commission / EASME and foreseen for a limited number of enterprises: 1. Beneficiaries of the SME Instrument of Horizon 2020 (Key Account Management, KAM) 2. SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalization (promising SMEs with gaps in the innovation management systems). Whereas the first action is reserved for beneficiaries of the new SME instrument with a dedicated coaching scheme, the second is targeted at highly promising innovative enterprises, which will be assisted with a two-step support scheme: 1. Recording, analysis and evaluation of the individual status quo and of fundamental requirements and possibilities as well as of the threats and risks of the participating enterprises (analysis of needs and gaps, SWOT analysis). 2. Development and implementation of individual concepts, measures, and activities (action and / or coaching plan). ZENIT considers a combination of self-assessment and interview with a senior consultant to be the most effective solution for the first stage and to fulfil the requirements of CEN / TS 16555-1 (innovation management system). The ZENIT Self Assessment tool will be used as priority, other tools like IMP³rove, Steinbeis or N-Bank will be introduced to meet specific needs of SMEs.

This project is to be understood as an integrated component of the Enterprise Europe Network activities in North Rhine-Westphalia for the years 2015 -2016. For this period ZENIT will undertake - as part of the future NRW.Europa project - the additional task of "Enhancing the innovation manangement capacities of SMEs". This task consists of two service packages pre-defined by the European Commission / EASME and foreseen for a limited number of enterprises: 1. Beneficiaries of the SME Instrument of Horizon 2020 (Key Account Management, KAM) 2. SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalization (promising SMEs with gaps in the innovation management systems). Whereas the first action is reserved for beneficiaries of the new SME instrument with a dedicated coaching scheme, the second is targeted at highly promising innovative enterprises, which will be assisted with a two-step support scheme: 1. Recording, analysis and evaluation of the individual status quo and of fundamental requirements and possibilities as well as of the threats and risks of the participating enterprises (analysis of needs and gaps, SWOT analysis). 2. Development and implementation of individual concepts, measures, and activities (action and / or coaching plan). ZENIT considers a combination of self-assessment and interview with a senior consultant to be the most effective solution for the first stage and to fulfil the requirements of CEN / TS 16555-1 (innovation management system). The ZENIT Self Assessment tool will be used as priority, other tools like IMP³rove, Steinbeis or N-Bank will be introduced to meet specific needs of SMEs.

Innovations and thus also the management of innovations are of great significance for the competitiveness of the European Union, its Member States and their regions. Innovative individuals or enterprises do something which cannot be expected from the state of the art. They put innovations into practice – generally in the face of considerable resistance – and take financial, technical as well as social risks. Only in this way, however, can new technologies, processes, products or services assert themselves and future markets evolve. Employment, prosperity and the general quality of life and of the environment are directly dependent on the innovation capacity of regions and enterprises. Due to this interrelationship, the European Commission has promoted the Enterprise Europe Network since 2008 in order to provide local support above all to SMEs in the areas of internationalization, technology transfer and generally in the realization of innovations. One of the Network’s tasks is to raise the effectiveness and efficiency of innovation management in SMEs in order to accelerate the implementation of economically impactful innovations. Supporting SMEs in the area of innovation is a core task and the mission of ZENIT, coordinator of NRW.Europa, the Enterprise Europe Network node in North Rhine-Westphalia. Whilst innovations naturally cannot be forecasted, they can, however, evolve under the right conditions and be successfully managed. Our understanding of innovation and innovation management is oriented at business opportunities. As a consequence, ZENIT is pursuing the following objectives in the Innovation.NRW project: • To maintain and expand the innovation capacity and competitiveness of the participating SMEs • To help the key SME beneficiaries so that their full innovation potential can be exploited

Innovations and thus also the management of innovations are of great significance for the competitiveness of the European Union, its Member States and their regions. Innovative individuals or enterprises do something which cannot be expected from the state of the art. They put innovations into practice – generally in the face of considerable resistance – and take financial, technical as well as social risks. Only in this way, however, can new technologies, processes, products or services assert themselves and future markets evolve. Employment, prosperity and the general quality of life and of the environment are directly dependent on the innovation capacity of regions and enterprises. Due to this interrelationship, the European Commission has promoted the Enterprise Europe Network since 2008 in order to provide local support above all to SMEs in the areas of internationalization, technology transfer and generally in the realization of innovations. One of the Network’s tasks is to raise the effectiveness and efficiency of innovation management in SMEs in order to accelerate the implementation of economically impactful innovations. Supporting SMEs in the area of innovation is a core task and the mission of ZENIT, coordinator of NRW.Europa, the Enterprise Europe Network node in North Rhine-Westphalia in the project Innovation.NRW. Whilst innovations naturally cannot be forecasted, they can, however, evolve under the right conditions and be successfully managed. Our understanding of innovation and innovation management is oriented at business opportunities. As a consequence, ZENIT is pursuing the different objectives in the Innovation.NRW project to maintain and expand the innovation capacity and competitiveness of the participating SMEs. In addition, ZENIT supports the beneficiaries of the EIC Pilot from NRW in the Innovation.NRW project.