The benefits of Business Innovation Coaching for SMEs Iker Ayerbe DG Research and Innovation Unit B.3 SMEs, Financial Instruments and State Aid @ERRIN, 22 February 2017 Brussels

invested more than € 880 million Over 2,300 companies From 36 countries Attracted more than 20,000 applications 9 out of 10 applied for EU-funding for the first time Tough Competition: 8% success rate for Phase 1 6% for Phase 2 Every euro invested is smart money: funded companies get 3 days of business innovation coaching in Phase 1 and 12 days in Phase 2 Almost 1/3 are start-ups (younger than 3 years) Manufacturing - most common activity ICT sector - biggest number of applicants and selected companies 11% backed by accelerators 12% are spin-offs by academia Spain and Italy - most selected projects. Selected companies attracted 3x more private investment than before thanks to the SMEI Gathered a total of € 692 million in private equity and report benefitting from faster access to markets

Business Innovation Coaching Mission = Empower the beneficiaries to commercialise the awarded project. Coaching involves whole company development maturity, innovation enablers Coaching ≠ Consulting challenging assumptions vs. answering questions

Coaching ≠ Consulting Consulting is answering questions: Intellectual Property Pure financial or pure branding Market research, legal advice Write a business plan Project management Coaching is asking questions: Business development (market) Organisational development (performance) Cooperation development (partnerships)

Coaching approach Visualize success in a future business scenario Look at today, make strategy steps to success Tackle readiness to take the steps Challenge company's self-perceptions Ph2: address organisation development + financial strategy Ph2: room for additional building up of knowledge and skills

A proven methodology Targeting high impact in short time

Typical coaching questions …. What is your strategy, market position? (PMF) Why do customers pick you? What do you want to achieve? What is the main challenge? What are the priorities now? To what extent are you ready for it? What options do you have? What are the main risks? How will you get there? What? How? When? Who?

Is about learning and solving! Illustrations: Max Maupoix

Coaching Impact Strategy adapted, goal clarified Guideline for decision making: Able to solve strategic matters Able to access new networks Negotiation policy toward investors and new business partners Leadership and team work

Coaching state of Play SMEs Key account managers (EEN) Business coaches >2000 SME beneficiaries >300 active KAMs >80 Regional entities >400 active coaches in the pool >1700 coaching activities (>7300 days) Mission: building the triangle „The KAM and the coach have made a fantastic work for us. She has helped us to identify the right coach. The coach has done a great job coaching us in stratetegy, business, and financials.“ Small company, Automotive

Company feedback on coaching KAM role 86 % : KAM identified relevant needs 77 % : needs analysis already led to action 89 % : well informed about choice of coach Coaching impact 80 % : decision making has improved 89 % : improvement of business strategy 84 % : expect project to progress faster 95 % : recommends coaching to other companies

Ms. Kaija Pöysti, Finland Over 30 years: entrepreneur, business angel, board member, investment fund member 1 year in Bonn, 8 years in Boston M.Sc. applied mathematics and physics 1st company from 1 to 260 people in IT services SME-I Coach

Mr. Franco Malerba, Italy Many years in large and small industry, space agencies (ESA, ASI) Astronaut mission 1992 One term as MEP Science Attaché Founder of Genova Startup SME-I Coach

Company feedback Manuel Nina, Smart Separations: " Wolfgang's approach to our company made us change immensely the strategy for the better. We have also engaged in fruitful discussions with potential partners as part of his network". Tomáš Šalamon, Netcampaigner: " I didn't expect much, but the coaching experience with Didier appeared to be incredibly useful".  

Company feedback Carmelo Simón, Urbana de Exteriores: " The experience with the coach was excellent. Unai provided huge help for the internationalization. Coaching was one of the best outcomes that we got from the SME Instrument." 200 days/4 years saves his availability for network. Unai (coach): "I don’t do this for the money, it's not a business". "Very interesting companies, it provides strategic visibility".

EASME role: Organise, qualify, contract, monitor.

System in place EASME takes over after CSA '14-'16 Business innovation model implemented 'Needs analysis' by E.E.N. account managers Training of coaches and KAMs Methodology for specific coach matching Monitoring system installed

Many thanks! Iker Ayerbe SME Support DG Research and Innovation Unit B.3 SMEs, Financial Instruments and State Aid ec.europa.eu/research twitter.com/EUScienceInnov  Twitter.com/H2020SME facebook.com/EUScienceInnov