Luis Guerra, CDTI: "37% of European SMEs are innovative, but only 3-4% achieve high performance as a result of this R&D"

According to Borja Izquierdo, Director of the European Office at the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, “The objective of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions is to foster not only geographical mobility but also mobility between sectors: academia and industry.” Mr. Izquierdo made this remark during a session at ESADE organised by the European Commission.

The session focused on the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCAs), one of the main aims of which – following the initiative’s reorientation under the umbrella of the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme – is to foster innovation in European SMEs. The session also highlighted the support that the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) provides to SMEs by fostering links between companies. Three Spanish companies that have benefited from the Horizon 2020 programme also gave testimonials at the session.

During her welcome remarks, Tamyko Ysa, Vice-Dean of Research at ESADE Business School, commented: “One of the benefits of the MSCAs, with respect to other areas of the Horizon 2020 programme, is the fact that the topic of the proposals is generated by the subjects themselves because they are interested in developing their R&D&I.” Prof. Ysa also noted that the MSCAs help to reduce research costs not only at universities and research centres but also at small and medium-sized companies.

Also during the opening remarks, Borja Izquierdo, Director of the European Office at the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, illustrated the role of Spanish businesses in the MSCAs: “The Spanish business community has received more than €96.55 million in funding, which means that Spain is the fourth largest recipient of EU funds through this initiative.”

Alessandra Luchetti, Director of the Excellent Science Department at the European Commission’s Research Executive Agency, described the benefits of participating in the MSCAs. Referring specifically to benefits for SMEs, which account for 58% of the companies involved in the MSCAs, Ms. Luchetti observed that the programme helps companies to “become more competitive, expand their network of action, share costs and risks, achieve international visibility, access cutting-edge innovation and economic infrastructure, and rely on a network of experts”.

Spanish companies innovate thanks to the Horizon 2020 programme

During a panel discussion on the experience of Spanish business entities in the Horizon 2020 programme, three beneficiaries discussed their projects and shared advice for SMEs about how to submit a successful proposal. All three beneficiaries agreed that participating in European research programmes can lead to major opportunities.

Andrés Escartín, Innovation and Technology Management Leader at BSH Electrodomésticos, spoke positively about the company’s participation in the research programme. According to Mr. Escartín, the programme’s training contribution “is very important, not only to the people who form part of the research network, but also to the company itself”.
 
Juan Ignacio Jorquera, Global Vice President of R&D at Grifols, described the pharmaceutical group’s participation in the Horizon 2020 programme as “very positive” and highlighted “the importance of technical and academic training”. Niza Barat, Project Manager at Iquadrat, noted that the MSCAs had allowed her company to take advantage of “new products and platforms”, to receive “at least ten researchers” and to increase its “staff size and visibility”.

After the panel discussion, David Rovirosa, who represents ACC1Ó at the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), discussed the ways in which SMEs can benefit from participating in the business network, which was created by the European Commission in 2008. In particular, Mr. Rovirosa praised the network for its “good rapport and highly personalised services”. The EEN’s results are, according to Mr. Rovirosa, proof of its success: between 2008 and 2014, a total of 73,844 profile searches were carried out, 35% of which sought out partners for R&D projects.

Luis Guerra, a member of the Horizon 2020 SME Committee representing the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), discussed the need for SMEs to grow in order to boost their chances of success in today’s highly competitive global environment. “Thirty-seven percent of European SMEs are innovative, but only 3-4% achieve high performance as a result of this R&D,” noted Mr. Guerra. He also highlighted the success of Horizon 2020’s SME instrument, which has benefited 255 companies in 21 countries.

The last speaker, Cristina Borràs, Director of the Internationalisation Department at 
the Catalan Agency for the Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR), praised Catalan businesses for their considerable ability to attract talent. Catalan companies’ scant participation in the MSCAs indicates, she argued, “that we have a long way to go” in order to foster “the sort of collaboration that our SMEs need”.