Developing a strong eco-system which drives innovationthrough online learning sessions

Innovation is essential for a long-term competitive advantage. Therefore public programmes, the

goal of which is to raise the competitiveness of local firms, also aim at creating an innovation-

triggering effect. Those public innovation programmes require careful planning and the

development of a wide yet coherent eco-system with very divers players included. Only then, the

companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can be mobilized to actively

participate in and benefit from the innovation sessions specially from online learning innovation

programs.

For this reason, the European Commission, launched the “Euromed – Innovative Entrepreneurs

for Change” project in the South Mediterranean countries including Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco,

and Tunisia building on the results that the IMP³rove initiative has generated in Europe. The

focus is to strengthen the innovation management support services to potential high growth

enterprises in the four countries. That approach is expected to have a long term impact on

accelerating competitiveness, jobs creation, growth prospects, and wider wealth participation in

the region.

IMP³rove – Euromed project

In August 2012, the European Commission, with support of local partners, launched the project

“Euromed – Innovative Entrepreneurs for Change”. IMP³rove plays an integral part. The focus of

the IMP³rove Academy is to transfer knowledge in innovation management to local support

providers – building on a proven approach - and to ensure the practical application of this newly

acquired knowledge at local SMEs. By using a single, holistic approach, the interactions between

the various support providers and the SMEs were facilitated. Thus a common national approach

is developed.

IMP³rove-powered Innovation Eco-System for growth

In order to develop this common approach different actors are needed:

SMEs Management consultants Intermediaries Academia Financial actors

Policy makers

Each actor plays an important and complimentary role in delivering to the common objective of

growth by innovation. Here, the IMP³rove Academy develops a roadmap and acts as an interface,

actively bringing the stakeholders together.

IMP³rove-powered Innovation Eco-System. Source: IMP³rove Academy, 2013

Step one: find your partners

Powerful partners for the development of an innovation eco-system need to be identified and

convinced. There are several factors to be taken into account for the decision of choosing strategic

partners:

A common strategic goal to foster innovation A wide and well developed network to effectively reach the relevant beneficiaries Resources and the willingness to dedicate them to the innovation initiatives Reputation, which allows for the important interplay between the members to be

successful, as well as for developing visibility and trust in the programme to attract the

relevant actors to participate.

Finally, the variety of the members of the innovation eco-system should be such, that they are

complementary to each in order to cover all the important aspects of innovation. This should

include technical assistance in innovation management based on experience, effective support

services to SMEs that have proven to create value, innovation related public policy, innovation

management education, as well as funding for and investment in innovative enterprises.

Depending on the specific situation, the strategic partners acting as the focal centres of the

innovation program are public institutions or private organizations. In each case, the IMP³rove

Academy acts as the linking and facilitating body to support the development of the respective

innovation eco-systems and to provide the knowledge and expertise.

Step two: mobilize for innovation

The next step in the process is creating awareness in the communities for the importance of

innovation management. In order to be able to spread the message as far and wide as possible,

utilising the networks is important. With that support and with the lead of the IMP³rove Academy

a series of awareness creation workshops and seminars as well as individual discussions with the

stakeholders are organized. Additionally the events convey the tools improving the innovation

management knowledge and capability to the SMEs, management consultants, policy makers, and

financial institutions. Practical application of the tools increases the confidence of the various

actors in the innovation eco-system. Those tools benchmark the innovation management

performance and then induce the process of improving company-individual innovation

management capabilities, increase the effectiveness of innovation management support services as

well as of the public programs.

Step three: create a common language

The third step in setting up a strong innovation eco-system is developing policies and measures

to continuously improve the innovation management capabilities. Technical assistance for policy

makers, training courses for management consultants, and the concrete support of SMEs in

benchmarking and further developing their innovation management capabilities help to achieve

the required level of expertise. In the IMP³rove – Euromed project, groups of consultants and

intermediaries were trained in each country in the IMP³rove Approach. The local national partners

were responsible for recruiting and selecting the candidates who would eventually participate in

the training courses.

In the selection process, the consultants’ previous experience and current client base as well as

the strong fit of the innovation management as a service provision in their consulting business

were taken into account. The support of the local national partners in selecting the candidates for

the training was not only a convenience choice but also a strategic move to tighten the links

between the different actors, in this case the consultants, intermediaries, and public institutions. It

was essential to operationalize the national innovation strategy. In various courses, the

participants gained knowledge in innovation management and innovation management

consulting for business development as a basis for supporting the SMEs. The group of trainees

used the same holistic approach to innovation management, and developed a national network of

support providers complementing each other with their different backgrounds and technical

expertise

Step four: improve and develop

Approaching the SMEs and supporting them in identifying their potential for innovation was the

next step. As the consultants were appropriately equipped they were able to start guiding the

SMEs in identifying and leveraging their strengths to enhance their business performance. Within

few months after the IMP³rove training courses in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia, the

impact of the joint efforts of the local partner institutions, and the consultants participating in the

training, already resulted in more than 100 completed IMP³rove Assessments.

The major intention of the assessments is to provide SMEs with transparency regarding their

current innovation management capabilities, and to support the companies in further developing

them. This reveals the initial effects of the links developed in the process of strengthening the

innovation eco-system in the four countries. The systematic IMP³rove Consultants’ development

path increases the independent economic progress of the region. Skilled guides and a strong

network enable improved innovation performance of local companies and on the long-run

increase the overall social benefit from a strong economy.

“A clear vision has to guide each step”

Sustainability of the Innovation Eco-System beyond a project

Building an eco-system that drives innovation is a complex task. To meet the challenge a

strategy in combination with sustainable activities is key. A clear vision has to guide each step

from planning to implementation and also beyond. The innovation eco-system will develop into a

sustainable community as long as this community is animated by continuous development of its

members, and by their openness to continuously further develop the innovation eco-system. This

may include an annual award, it may include the opening across national borders, or industry

sectors. It may also grow by adoption of new technologies.

The IMP³rove-Euromed Project is a case example for a four-step-approach to build a regional

innovation eco-system. First strategic partners have to be identified; next the communities have to

become aware of the importance of innovation management. Then all involved parties that would

consult or support the SMEs have to be brought to one common level of expertise and knowledge

about creating value by innovation management support. Furthermore they have to become

skilled with the set of tools that will improve the current innovation management performance in

a company on a continuous basis. Finally the companies will be able to develop strong

competitive advantages within the innovation eco-system. The impact is then measured by growth

in profit, revenue and number of employees which is the result of an effective human resource

management through innovation.