Abstract OCEANERA-NET COFUND aims at coordinating the efforts of 8 agencies, in 4 Member states and 4 regions, in the ocean energy area. The joint action will focus on the demonstration and validation of innovative technologies for the generation of electricity from waves, tidal current, tidal range, salinity gradient and ocean thermal energy conversion, which will lead to improved performance, reliability and survivability of ocean energy conversion devices and arrays, and reduction in the levelised cost of energy (LCOE). The project will comprise: • A Co-funded Joint Call to support transnational, collaborative demonstration projects • A second joint call to support transnational, collaborative research, development, demonstration and innovation projects • Joint activities to improve coordination between national / regional research programmes, coordinate with key stakeholders and promote knowledge transfer and exploitation of results The project aims to build on European industrial leadership to help create a new industrial sector, which has potential to make a significant contribution to the decarbonisation of Europe’s energy system, economic growth, job creation, particularly in peripheral regions. The consortium represents the leading countries and regions in the European ocean energy sector – Scotland (UK), Sweden, Spain, Basque Country (Spain), Ireland, Portugal and Bretagne and Pays de la Loire (France).

Peer Learning Innovation Services – PLIS aims at enabling innovation support institutions in regions across Europe to quickly and effectively develop initiatives that will engage, encourage and aid SMEs to use Service Innovation as a mean to maintaining or increasing competitiveness, profitability and jobs. A technology driven approach has prevailed for addressing innovation assessment. Given its critical contribution to increases in productivity and jobs, most of the resources within national and regional innovation policies are allocated to encouraging technology driven innovation resulting in the generation of new products and processes based on R&D. However other types of innovation such as Service Innovation are key to maximising economic development at local, regional and European level. Consequently, the members of the consortium will collaborate using a Twinning+ as a peer learning methodology in order to develop new approaches to foster Service Innovation among SMEs and improve the current innovation support programmes; enhance the quality, efficiency and customer satisfaction of services provided; increase the number of Service Innovation projects developed by SMEs; accelerate the learning process among the participants; foster the relationship between PLIS partners in innovation services; and, inspire and guide other agencies (and similar organisations) that become interested in how to foster Service Innovation among SMEs. All PLIS members are most relevant to participate in the peer-learning activities through the Twinning+ methodology given their role in designing and implementing SME innovation management support within their regions; their shared and common objectives; the commitment, motivation and experience of the people involved in the project; and, the capacity to disseminate PLIS findings in order to strengthen peer-learning and boost similar activities to relevant European organisations.

The overall aim is to ensure that Scottish SMEs with international innovation and growth ambitions are empowered by unlocking their full growth potential through better internal innovation management capability. The underpinning objective of this proposal is therefore to deliver a quality service in Scotland that supports SMEs to increase their innovation management capacity and to innovate successfully and profitably. This requires not only a focused SME targeting strategy, but also qualified staff trained on appropriate tools and methodologies, delivering the right support to the right SMEs, coordinated with other delivery teams with the Enterprise Europe Network Scotland (EES) host organisations.