„SMEs go LifeSciences“ is co-funded by the European Commission

Activities supporting SME participation in the instruments particularly Integrated Projects and Networks of Excellence

in the areas of Life Sciences in the 6th Framework Programme

Raising the quantitative and qualitative level of involvement of SMEs and SME groupings in Life Sciences oriented projects in the 6th Framework Programme (FP6), with an emphasis on the new

instruments – Integrated Projects and Networks of Excellence. Candidate countries participation will be a

special focus of the measures foreseen.

Objective

Key Figures

Submission: April 2003 as ETI - Specific Support ActionNo. 508527

Project start: 1st March, 2004

Duration: 3 years

Project partner: 28 partners out of 26 countries (10 CC, 4 AC, 12 MS)

Coordination: Bureau for International Research and Technology Cooperation, Austria

Budget: 2.557 855 EuroEC contribution: 1.734 025 Euro

Main Objective

Support and foster the participation of SMEs and SME groupings in Life Sciences projects of FP6

Two major lines of activities

Capacity building and training Consortium building & match

for SMEs & SME groupings + making for SMEsresearchers on how to + researchers preparing ainvolve SMEs proposal

ActivitiesTarget group: SMEs & SME groupings

Identification/Information of SMEs and SME groupings

Profiling of SMEs and SME groupings interested in international research cooperation and ready to participate in the Framework Programme

Training/Assisting of SMEs and SME groupings following their needs (Intellectual property rights, financial framework of FP6, project management etc.)

ActivitiesTarget group: Researchers

Identification researchers/research consortia preparing Life Sciences proposals as coordinators or active participants

Training/Assistance of researchers creation of awareness on the importance of involving SMEs assistance on consortium building and finding partners training/individual assistance on proposal preparation and involvement

of SMEs, training in legal and financial framework of FP6

Profiling of research consortia looking for SME partners

Activities Matchmaking between SMEs/

SME groupings and researchers

Creation of a high quality database where SMEs can present their expertise and researchers their project ideas

Organisation of brokerage events (real or virtual)

Presentation of SME profiles and researchers project ideas on major conferences and events

Matchmaking by individual support/advise of SMEs/SME groupings and researchers

Activities

Call Information Network: Assisting already running projects in integrating SMEs in a later stage of their project

Identification of and establishment of cooperation with Bio-incubators and Biovalleys as well as training of relevant organisations

Close collaboration with Biotech Entrepreneurial Networks like Europabio (platform for the National Biotech Associations), EBN (European Business and Innovation Centres Network), IRC (Innovation Relay Centres)

Major Achievements Contacts to 2500 SMEs for participation in LifeSciences

projects in FP6

Contacts to 400 researchers/coordinators of Life Sciences proposals

160 national & 6 transnational training sessions for SMEs & SME groupings as well as for researchers, 3 brokerage events

100 profiles and partner searches of coordinators or active participants preparing Life Sciences proposals, particular in the new instruments

Contacting, profiling, training of SMEs and researchers will result in 300 consortia taking in at least one additional SME partner resulting in 500 involved SMEs in total

The consortium

A network of 28 partners from 26 countries is highly motivated and committed

Project partners are highly experienced in working with SMEs and research organisations - most of them act as National Contact Points (NCPs)

“SMEs go LifeSciences“ is a stepping up project of the FP5 initiative “Partners for Life”.

Responsibilities

Herlitschka

Work Packages(WP)

Organisation,Participant Nr.

Country

WP1 - Start-up Phase IFTR PAS, Participant 2 PolandWP2 – Working with SMEs EU/FOU Radet, Participant

3Sweden

WP3 – Working withResearchers

APRE, Participant 4 Italy

WP4 – Matchmaking andnetworking facilities

Euro Top, Participant 5 Belgium

WP5 - Matchmaking ISERD, Participant 6 IsraelWP6 - Call InformationNetwork

HSTF, Participant 7 Hungary

WP7 – Networking withIncubators and Biovalleys

BEA – Participant 8 Belgium

WP8 – BiotechEntrepreneurial Networks

Euro Top, Participant 5 Belgium

WP9 - Management BIT, Participant 1 Austria

Conclusion

“SMEs go LifeSciences” project is the key platform for Life Sciences SMEs

in Europe.

We can make a difference and can help developing the innovation potential of European Life Sciences SMEs.

Web: www.smesgolifesciences.org

Project coordination and contact:

Bureau for International Research and Technology CooperationDonau-City Straße, 1220 Vienna, Austria

Birgit Steiningere-mail: steininger@bit.ac.atphone: +43/1/26013-133fax: +43/1/26013-16web: www.bit.ac.at

Bulgarian Partner and contact

Bulgarian Agency for Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Agency

1 Sveta Nedelia Sq., Sofia 1000

Galina DoynovaState experte-mail: g.doynova@asme.bgphone: +359 2/ 9329 277fax: +359 2/ 986 18 99web: www.asme.bg, www.btpa.bg