1. Winning money from the Euopean Commission F7 Why and how to succeed!

2. Background In 1996 Positive Concepts UK Ltd Framework 4 Feasibility Study Framework 4 Pilot Project Lessons learned UK to Nordic markets Euro Baltic Software Alliance As.

3. The European Commission’s Enlargement plan 1996 The Baltic States and EC approval Reviewing their suitability Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania Why I chose Estonia 1997 – 2003 2004 and refocused objectives

4. The EC’s Framework 6 The EC’s IST Directorate IST Directorate’s e-government plans Estonia’s success in e-government Manchester an offer to all EU members The plans for Framework 7 The stakeholder meetings

5. Framework 7 The directorates The IST Directorate The e-government division of IST DG The stakeholder report The F7 objectives of EC’s IST e-govt. N example of what to do

6. Do your homework first! What are you good at? Do you have a Business Plan? Is your Business Plan up to date? The Estonian Enterprise Services: Grants for Business Plans Export Grants Assistance in creating an IT network

7. Your own network FIRST Your own resources An Estonian network Your future plans Who can assist you Estonian support Who else can help Plan your network SECOND Use the web Find other partners Read about them Check for ‘calls’ Get expert help Select a ‘call’. Build your team!

8. EAS- Estonian Enterprise Get advice from EAS Find an advisor or hire a consultancy Draft your plan Get the experts to rewrite it for you. Seek a grant by investing €1000 Use the grant to rewrite your plan

9. Draft a team Plan 1. Chose an established Nordic team member from Finland, Sweden or Denmark. 2. Check for some other experienced members from the UK, Germany or the Netherlands 3. Review potential local partners in the Balkan states who could benefit. 4. Also review potential technical partners in the CIS and Russia

10. Get NDA’s signed FIRST Register your idea here in Estonia Apply for EU registration of the idea Get everyone to send signed NDA’s

11. Evaluate team members Check their skills and experiences Draft the team member’s responsibility Get each member to confirm in writing

12. Create detailed plans 1 Who will be the Manager of the whole project? Can you handle it yourself? 2 Do you have a balanced team able to do each aspect of the project? 3 Will each member be able to deliver their parts on time? Ho do you know this?? 4 Check everyone’s financial background and credit ratings. Can they deliver?

13. Assign responsibilities Send everyone an outline plan Define clearly everyone’s roles Define each person’s responsibilities Draft an overall time table Ask each member for THEIR timetable Review the overall plan. Can it work?

14. Check each element 1QUESTIONS to ask Did each team deliver Is their plan complete Is their English good Are their ideas good Do you trust them 2 POINTS to check Creditworthiness Skill sets and people Client references Their documentation Does it still make sense?

15. Create your plan Give deadlines:… with reserve time Get some overlap in the team roles Get outlines first then detailed plans Send each element to everyone Does it still all make sense?

16. Rewrite your plan Hire the best professional you can buy! Select this professional at the start Have them advise you at each stage Do they believe in your final plans?

17. Create the final proposal Get a draft checked by experts Rewrite it again Have all the figures re-checked Send in the proposal EARLY

18. The final result ? Based on past experience, you now have a 1 in 10 chance of winning funding from the EC. So wait until the proposals have all been reviewed. You may need to defend your plan, be prepared!

19. Good Luck !