Call for projects: supporting innovation in traditional SMEs thanks to the cooperation with CCIs
About this good practice
The Cultural and Creative Sector in Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region (FVGAR) counts 5.038 Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), employs 31.500 people and is worth 6% of the Regional GDP.
The FVGAR Cultural and Creative Production System represents 5.5% of the total value-added economy and 5.8% in terms of employment.
The same importance to CCIs was documented in Veneto Region (Italy) and Slovenia.
CCIs face different difficulties form the economic point of view in terms of efficiency and consideration, often not involved in the economic sector as traditional SMEs.
CCIs support entrepreneurship and can compete with global players in markets where EU has a competitive advantage. It is essential to stimulate the creation and growth of competitive European CCIs of all sizes.
The cross-border Call tested new ways to support CCIs not considered in economic sector of the 3 territories involved, creating new ways of cooperation. The call funded innovative projects between CCIs and traditional SMEs. New products and services were created thanks to the collaboration between SMEs and CCIs: 123 projects proposal submitted and 21 were financed (3 territories); FVG financed additional 22 regional project with 1.014.100,00€ FVG regional funds.
Stakeholders: Business Incubators, Regional Universities, Research Centers, Banks.
Beneficiaries: CCIs and SMES participating to the Call.
Resources needed
900.000,00€ ERDF Italy – Slovenia Programme for funding 21 projects; additional 1.014.100,00€ FVG regional funding to finance 22 regional projects in the ranking list.
Human resources: Staff: 4 FVG, Staff at project level: 15
Evidence of success
The Call obtained a successful response:123 projects presented, 43 projects financed, 86 CCIs and SMES involved. One project “Refoscollection” funded by the Call (collaboration between a CCI, Simularte, and a SME a Winery, Azienda Agricola Tonutti), received the "Oscar Green" 2022 award sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Agricultural Policies. Following the success of the call, in ERDF RP 2021-2027 FVGAR introduced another call with Euro 1.910.000 only for FVG companies.
Potential for learning or transfer
The call can be potentially interesting for other regions as the support to CCIs faces the same critical issues throughout Europe (difficulty in financing access, small size organization with few staff members, lack of entrepreneurial skills, lack of innovation).
The call represents a good practice because CCIs can have a new role as the collaboration in different economic sectors to create new products and services for traditional companies can allow to have a better impact in their economic development.
The call could be transferred in other regions to disseminate a new way to improve collaboration between local cultural actors and traditional enterprises, with the aim to increase an innovative way to develop business opportunities for the local SMEs, which can also increase their competences and skills thanks to creativity.
Further information
Call for projects: supporting innovation in traditional SMEs thanks to the cooperation with CCIs
Website
Good practice owner
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