University of minho receives The SME Instrument Coach Forum
The SME Instrument Coach Forum event in Braga/Guimarães is the first major event of the community of stakeholders around the new EU programme for small and medium sized enterprises, the Horizon 2020 SME Instrument. The programme, which has been coined “The European Champions League of SMEs” supports business innovation concepts close to market. The aim of the SME Instrument is to fill the gaps in funding for the early stages, Research and Innovation and accelerating the exploitation of innovation. In total, more than € 2.8 billion will be allocated for the SME instrument from 2014 to 2020.
As a core element of the new programme, the SMEs not only receive financial support but also coaching from a group of highly experienced and prominent business innovation coaches from all over Europe. The Minho event joins the entire community of coaches for the first time – and time will be dedicated to reviewing methodologies, sharing ideas – and reviewing cases and experiences gained so far, since the start of the programme in June 2014.
More than 130 delegates will participate in the event - most of these business innovation coaches, but also the responsible, senior EU Commission staff and other stakeholders in the community around the new programme. The event will not only highlight the importance of SMEs in the European economy, but mark that the University of Minho and companies in the Minho region have a key role to play. The initiative is organized and hosted by the University of Minho, Innovayt Portugal, the CoachCom2020 project as well as European Agency for SMEs, EASME.
As a core element of the new programme, the SMEs not only receive financial support but also coaching from a group of highly experienced and prominent business innovation coaches from all over Europe. The Minho event joins the entire community of coaches for the first time – and time will be dedicated to reviewing methodologies, sharing ideas – and reviewing cases and experiences gained so far, since the start of the programme in June 2014.
More than 130 delegates will participate in the event - most of these business innovation coaches, but also the responsible, senior EU Commission staff and other stakeholders in the community around the new programme. The event will not only highlight the importance of SMEs in the European economy, but mark that the University of Minho and companies in the Minho region have a key role to play. The initiative is organized and hosted by the University of Minho, Innovayt Portugal, the CoachCom2020 project as well as European Agency for SMEs, EASME.