Innolabs – The acceleration process
25 Open Call winners and 25 other finalists from 17 different European countries have signed their contracts, and benefit from the 1st Acceleration Programme in INNOLABS. HCN is the Key Account Manager supporting successful SMEs from the Netherlands and Ireland.
Unlocking the potential of SMEs
As the 1st Open Call results were announced, the INNOLABS Consortium activated the acceleration period with the 50 awarded teams. To unlock the potential of SMEs, Innolabs will test and validate optimal support measures for taking merged ICT and biomedical research products and services to market by comparing measures for traditional value chains with new fast lane measures. It will increase the competitiveness of SMEs by using targeted non-monetary support mechanisms that generate added value encompassing expert knowledge, new partnerships and market optimisation of products. The project will also secure new funding streams to facilitate sustainable cycles of collaborative IHBM innovation by SMEs.
The acceleration process
There will be two Acceleration Processes Periods during INNOLABS, that will last 9 months each one. Each company/team who entered the programme is assisted by a designated Key Account Manager (KAM) who works with and guide the company through the acceleration process. The KAM performed a baseline analysis with the companies to see where they are, where they want to be in 1-2 years, and how INNOLABS can support them in defining the best service package for their needs. Hackathons, idea contests, innovation boot camps, University-SME competitions, webinars, and several other specific training events and workshops will be arranged to help achieve the goals of the SMEs and the project.
Financial support
25 project teams with best ideas enrolled into the non residential Acceleration Programme will also be offered financial support worth up to 50,000€ in a combination of direct cash funding and innovation services. The next 25 finalist projects will receive support worth up to 10,000€ in innovation services.
Additionally, at the end of the project, there will be a final prize of 50k€ for the best performing team among the 50 funded.
Dissemination of results
Finally, INNOLABS projects results from both acceleration periods will be disseminated through the established INNOLABS communication channels, compiled and reported in the corresponding deliverables, as well as in the final INNOLABS White Book.
Follow the project also on:
Read more about the project at our website:
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 691556.
This article reflects only the author’s view and that the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.