1. Emerging findings of the peer review: Innovation
Dissemination workshop: Peer review
17 May 2018
Varna, Bulgaria

2. Innovation
“Moving from intellectual satisfaction to business satisfaction” – Prof. Plamen Mollov

3. Strengths
Information sharing and support from multinationals (some industries)
Eagerness to use EU funding
Some desire to innovate
Strong international partnerships

4. Weaknesses
Regional support for SMEs and lack of connection to commercialization
Transparency/cooperation for innovation (amongst sectors)
No connection to Tech park or incubators to food industry
Supply Chain Structure for SMEs
Communication between government as a stakeholder (lacking partnership)
Managers lack related education and industry experience in government

5. Opportunities Ageing population needs innovation
Urbanization needs new solutions for feeding the city
Trend towards market oriented innovation
Incubator for food business development and networking
Developing regional food identity
Food accreditations development for SMEs
Capitalize exchange of learning and development through projects

6. Threats Brain Drain Urbanization Lacking finance for business growth
Differences amongst countries

7. 1. Recommendation
Set up a business support structure based on quadruple helix partnership, to have access to expert advice road to investors, create new routes to market support networking provide accesses to business support prevent “Braindrain”, and generate profit and jobs in the food industry.

8. Value Proposition Key Partners Government (local)
Reps for key players in the SC Network
Advisors
Universities
Private advisors
Finance institutes
Grant providers
Key Activities
Providing advice
Expanding incubator to a support service
Innovation broker
Finance
Business development
Value Proposition
Expert advice
Road to Investors
New routes to market
Networking
Accesses to business support
Prevent “Braindrain”
Generating profit
Customer Relationships
Creating bonds, transparency and networks
Customer Segments
- From farm to fork
Channels
- Face-Face
- Workshops
Food awards
Community involvement
Regional events
Key Resources
People, tech, skills
Cost Structure
Sales and marketing
Operation and process
People and skills
Finance and KPIs
Revenue Streams
Subsidized services and paid services

9. Further Recommendations
Strengthen, create, empower, and build food associations
Implement food accreditation for SMEs to simplify market access
Create mentorship program
Create regional food identity and brands (sectors)