Supporting small businesses in a big world
When you are a small business, who do you go to for help when your sights turn to bigger things? Success stories from Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland show how the Enterprise Europe Network is helping SMEs expand markets, find partners for innovation and obtain EU funding to develop their businesses.
Since its launch in February 2008, the Enterprise Europe Network has grown to almost 600 partners in 44 countries in Europe and beyond. The network integrates the long history of the European Commission's business and innovation support in a single, even more efficient structure: it can call on 4 000 experienced advisers dedicated to providing companies with a broad range of services tailored to their needs.
Solar SME goes international
An important role of the EEN is to help SMEs expand their markets into other countries, whether elsewhere in the EU or further afield. One such firm is JMS Solar Handel GmbH, a supplier of solar photovoltaic installations based in southern Bavaria (DE). The enterprise wanted to develop its markets in Italy so approached Bayern Handwerk International (BHI), one of the Bavarian partners in the Enterprise Europe Network. BHI arranged for JMS to have space on its corporate stand at the 2008 Klimahouse trade fair in Bolzano, across the Alps in northern Italy, and also to take part in a brokerage event there run by the South Tyrol network partner.
"We gave the company information about the Italian market," says Tamar Moscovici of BHI. "We also made contact with a specialist lawyer and procured a regional grant." The grant helped the company to create Italian-language marketing materials and translate their website into Italian.
"The services from Bayern Handwerk International were really helpful," says Josef Mittermeier of JMS Solar. When we noticed the huge number of visits at the trade fair, we realised that the demand in Italy for our products was huge as well. That's why we immediately hired an Italian-speaking employee."
In fact they took on two more employees and an apprentice to meet demand and have now set up both an Italian subsidiary and one in Austria, too. Because of increased business they were able to pay for their own, bigger stand at the 2009 Klimahouse fair and will be returning again in 2010.
"Usually it takes at least two years for an SME to be in the black when entering a new foreign market," notes Moscovici. "Our client made gains immediately."
Finding partners for innovation
When businesses need partners to collaborate on new products, the network's advisers can help find suitable candidates.
Owlstone Nanotech was started in 2004 by three Cambridge University researchers working in microsystems and nanotechnology. They had devised a new kind of chemical sensor that can identify and measure very small concentrations of gases at levels of one part in a billion. The device, integrated on to a silicon chip, can be set to detect different gases simply by reprogramming the software.
Although conceived initially for security and defence applications, such as the detection of explosives, the sensor has a multitude of possible uses from food safety and quality control to environmental monitoring.
It was to explore these wider markets that Owlstone contacted Business Link East, the Network partner in the East of England. There, Dave Reynolds helped the company draw up a technology profile which was then published across the network to attract potential partners interested in the gas detection technology.
The call was answered by IEE, a Luxembourg company specialising in sensing technology, especially in the automotive industry. Owlstone and IEE signed a partnership agreement in June 2008 and IEE purchased a number of sensors for testing.
"Without the assistance from Dave and the Enterprise Europe Network team at Business Link, it would have taken us significantly longer to find and link up with a partner with the market presence we needed," said Billy Boyle, Owlstone's founder.
EU funding opportunities
As well as finding business contacts, network partners can assist SMEs in applying for funding from EU programmes.
Polish dentist Małgorzata Włodarczyk wanted to find ways to improve her business and attract new patients. She was looking at investing in modern, innovative equipment that would make dental tools like drills safer and less painful for the patient, while allowing the dentist to be more precise. The new technology would also be more reliable, quieter and use less energy.
She had not considered that EU funding could be the answer for her business, until she attended a seminar organised by her local Enterprise Europe Network branch, based in the Krakow Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
"We met Małgorzata and looked at how her business could expand," network expert Agnieszka Czubak explains. "Then we found an EU grant programme, the European Regional Development Fund, which could help her."
"I'm very happy that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Krakow encouraged me to apply for the funding," adds Włodarczyk.
Network consultants met the entrepreneur several times, walking her through the complicated business of applying for a grant. "We were able to draw on our experience in helping companies with such applications. The documentation is complicated and often difficult to understand," says Czubak. "Eventually, the documentation was ready and Malgorzata could send in her application."
To her delight, she was awarded an investment grant covering 40% of costs. "Thanks to the Enterprise Europe Network, I could get through the complicated procedures and finally obtain significant financial support for my business," says Włodarczyk.
Enterprise Europe Network
The Enterprise Europe Network is made up of 600 partner organisations in 44 countries. It offers support and advice to businesses across Europe and helps them make the most of the opportunities in the European Union. Despite being specifically designed for small and medium-sized enterprises, its services are also available to all businesses, research centres and universities across Europe.
Each partner organisation in the network is a 'one stop shop' for help in finding business contacts, promoting technology transfer and accessing European funding opportunities. Staff can also advise on EU law and how to make the most of the European single market.
The Network's 'no wrong door' policy ensures that no matter which partner takes the call, the client will be personally directed to the service or organisation that best meets their needs.
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The text only of the articles can be republished as long as the source of the article is quoted: Enterprise & Industry magazine (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/magazine/index_en.htm), © European Union, 2008 - 2012
