Horizon 2020 call “Enhancing the innovation management of SMEs” proposes the offering of mentoring and coaching services to SMEs with the objective of increasing and accelerating the economic returns from innovation. The current proposal describes in detail the services focused on enhancing innovation management capacities of SMEs and proves ACCIÓ’s capacity to successfully deliver such services. The service will be provided to two specific groups of companies: beneficiaries of the SME instrument and, SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalisation. The minimum number of 7-day packages to be delivered are 20, although depending on the number of beneficiaries of the SME instrument up to 32 7-day packages could be developed. As coordinator of the Catalan node of the Enterprise Europe Network, ACCIÓ offers a wide range of innovation services to SMEs. ACCIÓ is specialised in promoting innovation and internationalisation among SMEs and has implemented several successful programmes over the last 20 years. In 2013 ACCIÓ's innovation advisors visited 100 SMEs for the first time, managed more than 4.000 expression of interest for technology transfer or partner search and reached more than 3.000 people through its monthly newsletter “EU R&D&I opportunities”. The proposed INNCAT team is fully committed in the delivery of the project, is trained in IMP3rove methodology and have a broad and extensive expertise in innovation and business support and management.

TECNIOspring INDUSTRY Fellowship Programme is proposed by ACCIÓ, the Catalan Agency for Business and Competitiveness, attached to the Ministry of Business and Knowledge of the Government of Catalonia. With a budget of 11,085,120 € (46% EU contribution, 54% ACCIÓ own funds) and a duration of 5 years, TECNIOspring INDUSTRY will address experienced researchers who will develop their research career in their area of interest, with focus on technology transfer. TECNIOspring INDUSTRY programme will receive joint applications of an experienced researcher and the host organisation of his/her choice (the beneficiary). Host organisations will be Catalan companies and entities of the Catalan Research and Technology Transfer System, recognized with the TECNIO accreditation. The programme will fund 72 fellowships, offering high-quality professional opportunities, with living plus mobility allowance well above the amount set by MSCA, through its two types of mobility schemes, incoming and outgoing+return. Fellows will be free to choose their applied research project, with focus on technology transfer, and a host organisation fitting their individual and interests. The programme will have three calls that will be internationally advertised, including EURAXESS website, and allow a fair competition between applicants through an open, merit-based selection process. ACCIÓ already manages two COFUND fellowship programmes, TECNIOspring under FP7 (GA nº 600388) and TECNIOspring PLUS under H2020 (GA nº 712949). TECNIOspring INDUSTRY will consolidate success and go beyond the earlier grants to increase impact and alignment with MSCA best practices by further opening the programme to industry, improving conditions for fellows, increasing networking opportunities in less represented countries, enlarging training offer and fostering synergies with ERDF. The programme's budget and ACCIÓ's contribution are increased accordingly, while EC contribution remains the same as in TECNIOspring PLUS.

TECNIOspring PLUS Fellowship Programme is proposed by ACCIÓ, the Catalan Agency for Business and Competitiveness, attached to the Ministry for Business and Labour of the Government of Catalonia. With a budget of 10,044,000 € (circa 50% EU contribution) and a duration of 5 years, TECNIOspring PLUS programme will be addressed to experienced researchers, who will develop their research career in their area of interest, with focus on technology transfer. The programme will fund 72 fellowships, offering high-quality professional opportunities, with living plus mobility allowance well above the amount required by Marie Sklodowska-Curie WP, through its two types of mobility schemes, incoming and outgoing+return. Fellows will be free to choose their research project, with a focus on innovation and technology transfer, and a suitable host organisation fitting their individual needs and interests. The fellowship programme will have four selection rounds following fixed deadlines, allowing a fair competition between applicants. Calls for proposals will be advertised at international level, including EURAXESS website among others. TECNIOspring PLUS programme will receive joint applications of an experienced researcher and the host organisation of his/her choice (the beneficiary). Host organisations will be entities of the academic or industrial sector belonging to the Catalan Research and Technology Transfer System, recognized with the TECNIO accreditation. ACCIÓ already manages a COFUND project under FP7, TECNIOspring fellowship programme (GA nº 600388). TECNIOspring PLUS goes beyond the earlier grant. ACCIÓ wants to increase its impact and further align it with the best practices of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie programmes by: increasing no. of fellowships and living allowances, opening the programme to industry, incorporating public engagement activities, offering interdisciplinary opportunities and fostering the international dimension.

The current proposal fully describes advising services to SMEs with the objective of increasing and accelerating the economic returns from innovation and proves ACCIÓ capacity to successfully deliver them. The services will be provided to two specific groups of enterprises: beneficiaries of the SME instrument, FTI, FET-Open; and SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalisation. ACCIÓ, as the Enterprise Europe Network Catalan node coordinator, is specialised in promoting innovation and internationalisation among SMEs and has implemented several successful programmes over the last 20 years. For instance, since 2014 INNCAT has provided advice services with IMP3rove, Innovation Health Check (IHC) and KAM methodologies. For next year, 2019, INNCAT will close a minimum of 49 KAM and EIMC cases of mentoring to enhance the innovation management capacity of SMEs; it is an increase of 22.5% compared to the services planned per year in the current INNCAT1718 project. The involved staff is fully committed to deliver the foreseen cases using the above mentioned methodologies and have a broad and extensive expertise in innovation, business support and management services. Moreover, 6 of the involved 8 staff members already participate in the implementation of INNCAT1718 for the delivery of KAM and EIMC cases. Therefore, they are fully capable to implement the described services and successfully advise Catalan SMEs in 2019. Additionally, a majority of staff members also offering EEN standard network services will enhance synergies and ensure the principle of the client centric approach.