EUROPEER SME Content: 1.History 2.Mission 3.Main areas of activity 4.Lessons learnt on „Promoting innovation capacities of SME“ 5.Selected Projects 6.Contact - Centre for Innovation and Technology in North Rhine Westphalia - Centre for Innovation and Technology in North Rhine Westphalia

History ZENIT Zentrum für Innovation und Technik in Nordrhein-Westfalen GmbH founded in 1984 as a Public Private Partnership to support the structural change in NRW nZENIT Trägerverein e.V. an interest group of over 250 primarily small and medium- sized North Rhine-Westphalian enterprises from all sectors nConsortium of banks nThe Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia eContentplus employees: 20 consultants 33% Shareholders

Mission Support the structural change in North Rhine-Westphalia Foster Technology Transfer Mechanisms in NRW Bridge the communication between SMEs and political decision makers Technical assistance to North Rhine Westphalian Policy Makers: - Design Promotion programmes on behalf of the ministries in NRW - Evaluate programmes, projects and initiatives on behalf of ministries in NRW, FRG and the EU-Commission - Support internationalisation projects of SMEs - Support SMEs to access and participate in European Programmes Support Regions and Countries, focus on EU-accession states, Fostering Technology Transfer and Innovation Capacity Building

Main areas of activity Technology Transfer (between firms, firms and universities, firms and R&D centres, Innovation Relay Center) Cluster Policy (Regional Innovation Strategies, Cluster-Road mapping, Cluster Scenario writing, Benchmarking,…) Policy Advice (Project and programme design and evaluation, Technical assistance for programme implementation) SME Support (Coaching, Financial support schemes, Business-plan formation,Technology Road Mapping, Technology Foresight, More-Cooperation.com, innovative business start ups) Europe (Inform SMEs in NRW about everything coming from Brussels; EIC, IRC, EU-tender- information service, National Contact Point for SMEs, German project bureau for ICT proposals: ETEN und Econtent, Europa-Fit,…)

Selected Projects (I) Technology Transfer  METTTES - More Efficient Transnational Technology Transfers in the Environmental Sector, EU- DG Enterprise and Industry, 2006 – 2008  STAKEHOLDERtool- software platform for TTT stakeholders to bridge SMEs with IRCs at lower costs and higher success, EU-DG Enterprise 2006 – 2008  Future oriented re-conversion: The use of foresight as a driver for industrial Diversification, EU-DG Research,  Suppliers Portal for Research, Innovation and Technology, EU- DG Research, 2005 – 2007 Policy Consult  Fostering an entrepreneurial culture on Malta; Promoting micro-enterprises and crafts; Enhancing innovation, Department of Contracts Malta, 2006  EUROMED Innovation and Technology Programme - Dissemination of Innovative Practices in the Mediterranean Region, EU,  Identification of outstanding innovation potentials and R&D in North-Rhine Westphalia: Information- and communication technologies, Ministry of Science and Research of North Rhine-Westphalia, 2004 – 2005  Seminar on EU funding and EU project management for municipalities of the Emscher-Lippe region, Training institute for municipal administration, 2005

Selected Projects (II) SME Support  Walking towards an European Regionally based research area on new processes and flexible intelligent manufacturing systems; EU  Enhanced participation of SMEs in IST European Technology Platforms, EU –DG Research  Survey of the R&D situation in Europe, Bayer MaterialScience AG, 2005  Consultancy on funding opportunities for innovative projects in SMEs, Ministry of Economic Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia,  Europa-Fit-Plus: Qualification and coaching of SMEs located in Objective-2 Areas concerning internationalisation activities towards the new EU member states, Ministry of Economics and Labour, North-Rhine Westphalia, 2004 – 2007  INNOMIT - New chances for SMEs in Central and Southeast European Countries, Ministry of Economics and Labour of North Rhine-Westphalia, 2004 – 2006 Cluster Support  Cluster Development in the sector of mobility industry, Ministry of Economics and Labour of North Rhine-Westphalia; City of Bochum, 2004  Cluster formation in NRW in the field of innovative materials, Ministry of Economic Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia,  STRATINC - Strategic Intelligence and Innovative Clusters, EU-DG Regio; Ministry of Economic Affairs and Labour of North Rhine-Westphalia,  Seminar on Cluster management in Bahia, Brazil, GTZ, 2005

Contact Contact: Bernhard Iking, PhD Centre for Innovation and Technology Bismarckstrasse Mülheim an der Ruhr Germany Phone Fax Mail: