DESIGN-BASED CONSUMER GOODS

Date de clôture : 14 avr. 2016  
APPEL À PROJET CLÔTURÉ

Topic Description

Specific Challenge:

The objective of the action is to reinforce the competitiveness of the European SMEs active in the design-based consumer goods area.

By encouraging the market uptake of new and creative solutions in the design-based consumer goods area, the action aims at multiplying the effects of foreseen solutions by mobilising a wide market uptake and reaching a critical mass and self-sufficiency during the project duration or in the short/medium term.

The measure therefore seeks to bridge the gap between research and innovation on the one hand and market on the other hand by supporting scale-up, market replication and/or first application of projects related to novel products, services, techniques or processes. By doing so, it will limit to a large extent the residual risk and will contribute to stimulating competitiveness among EU SMEs of the targeted value chains.

Design-based consumer goods SMEs are continuously reinventing their business models by changing production and distribution patterns to match the demand expressed by consumers and capture new market trends. In order to remain competitive, these companies have to continue moving towards higher added value products, processes and services. To take advantage of demographic changes and rapidly emerging new market trends, they need market-ready and consumer-oriented solutions.

Promising solutions may already exist but often they do not reach the market due to commercialisation obstacles and residual risks linked to scaling-up. They may also result from the fragmented structure of the activities involved, constituted typically by a large number of SMEs, with difficulties to attract the necessary skills and finance (“valley of death”).

In this context, the action aims to support projects related to market uptake of creative and novel products, services, techniques or processes, which feasibility has already been demonstrated but due to existing difficulties have not yet penetrated the market. It seeks to shorten the time-to-market of innovative solutions, remove obstacles to wider application of creative solutions, create or enlarge markets for related products (or services) and finally improve the competitiveness of European companies in world markets. Moreover, there is an important potential to replicate the innovations not only in participating SMEs but also across the supply-chain while generating important spill-overs.

The call will specifically target SMEs that can participate alone or lead a consortium (including for example academia, other research and technology organisations (RTOs) and relevant support services).

The methodology and performance indicators will follow best practice and mainly focus on business impact.

Scope:

Design-based consumer goods SMEs are continuously reinventing their business models by changing production and distribution patterns to match the demand expressed by consumers and capture new market trends. In order to remain competitive, these companies have to continue moving towards higher added value products, processes and services. To take advantage of demographic changes and rapidly emerging new market trends, they need market-ready and consumer-oriented solutions.

Promising solutions may already exist but often they do not reach the market due to commercialisation obstacles and residual risks linked to scaling-up. They may also result from the fragmented structure of the activities involved, constituted typically by a large number of SMEs, with difficulties to attract the necessary skills and finance (“valley of death”).

In this context, the action aims to support projects related to market uptake of creative and novel products, services, techniques or processes, which feasibility has already been demonstrated but due to existing difficulties have not yet penetrated the market. It seeks to shorten the time-to-market of innovative solutions, remove obstacles to wider application of creative solutions, create or enlarge markets for related products (or services) and finally improve the competitiveness of European companies in world markets. Moreover, there is an important potential to replicate the innovations not only in participating SMEs but also across the supply-chain while generating important spill-overs.

The call will specifically target SMEs that can participate alone or lead a consortium (including for example academia, other research and technology organisations (RTOs) and relevant support services).

The methodology and performance indicators will follow best practice and mainly focus on business impact.

Expected Impact:

New solutions will reach the market

Increased turnover resulting from additional sales and/or cost savings

Entry in the new markets/increase in market share