VOIS - Virtual Open Innovation Environment for SMEs

The partners applied for this project to address the critical need for local SMEs, particularly in the agri-food and bioeconomy sectors, to improve their abilities to modernise and innovate collab...

By implementing the VOIS project, the partnership aimed to address the lack of access of local no/low-tech SMEs to OI competencies that are crucial for their competitiveness and ability to engage in meaningful innovation. By developing the Virtual Open Innovation Environment for SMEs the project contributes to increasing access to practical knowledge about the potential OI offers for more resilience, growth and involvement of SME in the agri-food and bio-economy sector. The project results offer SME managers and supporting organisations access to capacitating tools to develop their OI competency and to facilitate effective engagement in OI activities. Direct purpose of the project is the creation of a virtual environment integrating access to cross-disciplinary competences required for successful OI within 3 dimensions: 1/ development of managers OI competencies to set OI at organisational level, 2/ development of individual OI competencies of managers, 3/ repository of resources available for SMEs support to OI processes. The partnership focused on the development of the direct result as well as on increasing internal competences of staff and organisations to better support knowledge-based SME engagement in OI.

All planned activities were implemented, including management, dissemination, evaluation, and results development. In management, partners signed the bilateral agreements. The AdminProject space was created. A total of 4 physical meetings and approximately 8 online meetings were convened, including the KOM which was held online due to pandemic restrictions. All meetings supported and addressed consortium-wide and bilateral needs. Dissemination included the creation of (visual) materials such as logo, website, social media, leaflets, newsletters, press release, poster as well as a dissemination and exploitation plan. Evaluation activities involved formulating a Quality and Evaluation Report, including the Interim Evaluation, Final Evaluation, TPM evaluations, External Advisory Board Consultations, Partners’ Evaluation Interviews. Regarding Project Results, the VOIS project produced as by application 1 key integrated tangible result – Virtual Open Innovation Environment, consisting of 3 areas, with 7 modules (instead of 6 as by application) for Area 1, 6 modules for Area 2, 1 repository with collection of 21 support tools in a form of either existing resources or real-life examples in Area 3. The activities for this project result included developing a methodology, research, content writing, graphical layout, translations, piloting, and modifications, as well as stakeholder consultations, platform development. That resulted in an integrated open innovation (OI) environment with areas for i/ development of managers OI competencies to set OI at organisational level, ii/ development of individual OI competencies of managers, iii/ access point to open innovation resources for support of OI processes. Considering specific needs of SMEs managers as a target group struggling with significant resource limitations, including time limitations, the OI environment offers highly flexible practical training based on training within ICT environment with interactive and asynchronous professional training methodology. To support dissemination and improvements during project implementation, key activities involved engaging stakeholders through personal contact, a webpage, newsletters, and social media. This included 7 multiplier events in 6 countries, internal and external piloting across 7 partner ecosystems, and promotional events during the initial piloting phase.

The Virtual Open Innovation Environment for SMEs in a form of an online environment is the main tangible result. It consists of 3 elements: Area 1 – Organisational Area: 7 modules as practical tutorial regarding open innovation strategies/methodologies for SMEs for capacitating participants to design them and implement them in their organisations: - Module 1 - The Open Innovation principle and Open Innovation process for agro-industry and bioeconomy, - Module 2 - Main pillars of open innovation strategy - Module 3 - Ensuring alignment between the OI strategy and the company objectives - Module 4 - How to build mindset toward open innovation in your SME. - Module 5 - Building win-win scenarios for open innovation projects - Module 6 - Adjusting your organisation to the requirements of Open Innovation - Module 7 - Building your Open Innovation ecosystem During the research phase for developing the Area 1 methodology, it became clear that 7 thematic lines, rather than the 6 originally planned, were crucial for effectively equipping SMEs to handle OI challenges. As a result, 7 modules were developed instead of the initially planned 6. Area 2 – Individual Development Area: 6 modules focused on development of OI Competencies of Managers as individual leaders focus on competencies required for their ability to manage activities in the scope of open innovation. Following the CMOI model: - 1. Building ability to work with people from different communities, disciplines and functions. - 2. Managing collaborative innovation. - 3. Knowledge management in-house and across organisations. - 4. Communication and networking. - 5. Cultural awareness. - 6. Adaptability and flexibility. Area 3 – Open Innovation repository – a resource base gathering already available tools and support measures for SMEs open innovation in the form of existing knowledge resources, as well as cases of application with lessons learned from SME perspective. Also, other tangible materials were developed: dissemination materials (website, leaflets, newsletters, articles, press releases, presentations) and working materials including various plans, agendas, reports.