NEM Activity
Strengthening Small and Medium Enterprises within NEM
- NEM SME Activity -
Activity leader: Julián Seseña
ROSE Vision, Spain
E-mail: jsesena@rose.es
Abstract
SMEs have become increasingly important in our society as providers of employment opportunities and as key players for the well-being of local and regional communities. Hence, European SMEs represent more than 90% of the overall European industrial entities. However, the visibility of SMEs in the specific field of R&D is really low, being in the order of 15% in the best cases. Therefore, there is a need to specifically target the role of SMEs, motivate them, facilitate their involvement and ensure that their interests and capabilities are duly taken into account by NEM as an European Technology Platform. SMEs participation in NEM would mean an opportunity to establish tide contacts with main industry players in several research areas where NEM is active, being up-to-date with actual R&D targets defined by the industry, being able to find appropriate partners for creation of successful R&D projects and increasing chances to get funding for realisation of the projects where SMEs can launch specifically dedicated projects or become part of wider and more ambitious R&D projects in cooperation with large NEM participants. Being European technology platforms, one of the main vehicles fostering R&D in Europe, it seems appropriate that NEM should also promote a specific Activity (as defined by NEM) where SME interests can be openly discussed, and views of SMEs can be channelled to the relevant bodies of NEM (GA, EB, EG, position papers groups, etc.).
Objectives
In order to enhance and promote SMEs competitiveness by means of R&D results, a new specific Activity within NEM is launched. The Activity targeting SMEs will cover several actions:
Dissemination among SMEs and SMEs Associations of the benefits to participate in NEM activities.
Specific action to promote a more active involvement of SMEs from the several technology fields within the scope of NEM (content producers, broadcasters, middleware developers, etc...).
Orchestration of small scale workshops (e.g. besides General Assembly, NEM Community/Projects workshops, etc.), with emphasis on the participation of SMEs.
Promotion of active participation of NEM representatives and NEM participants (SMEs among them) at international events.
Various reports will be produced from events and workshops organised as a result of this Activity, which will depend on the interests to be expressed by the interested SMEs. In many cases, contacts with SMEs Associations will constitute the main vehicle for channelling the relations with SMEs in the most effective and efficient manner.
Documents and presentations related to NEM SME Activity: