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MANUNET boosting SMEs' competitiveness in advanced manufacturing
Published on 25 June 2018
Spain
País Vasco
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
MANUNET is a network of regional and national agencies that use their own programmes to fund transnational R&D projects performed by companies-preferably SMEs-, research centres and universities in manufacturing. It is distinguished by:
1-The focus on regional R&D policies, understanding that not only contribute strongly to the European policy on regional development, but also to the European Research Area (ERA) providing an understanding of regional R&D systems and industrial environment.
2-The special support to SMEs. Despite the evolution of the Framework Programme, it is still a difficult scenario for them. MANUNET provides a complementary programme halfway between FP and national/regional programmes to support projects that are close to market, have a small consortium, a simple submission and evaluation process, with national/regional advisors available, with a consistent timeline and a higher success rate (>48%).
MANUNET covers broad topics, has no centralised evaluation and is flexible in call participation and budget allocation.
It is an opportunity for funding agencies to:
• Participate in a mature and experienced platform with equivalent organisations
• Increase knowledge and cooperation with agencies across Europe
• Discuss about R&D policy and priorities in manufacturing
• Identify and share best practices
• Increase knowledge of industrial and scientific communities across Europe
• Create a critical mass at European level to conduct transnational R&D
1-The focus on regional R&D policies, understanding that not only contribute strongly to the European policy on regional development, but also to the European Research Area (ERA) providing an understanding of regional R&D systems and industrial environment.
2-The special support to SMEs. Despite the evolution of the Framework Programme, it is still a difficult scenario for them. MANUNET provides a complementary programme halfway between FP and national/regional programmes to support projects that are close to market, have a small consortium, a simple submission and evaluation process, with national/regional advisors available, with a consistent timeline and a higher success rate (>48%).
MANUNET covers broad topics, has no centralised evaluation and is flexible in call participation and budget allocation.
It is an opportunity for funding agencies to:
• Participate in a mature and experienced platform with equivalent organisations
• Increase knowledge and cooperation with agencies across Europe
• Discuss about R&D policy and priorities in manufacturing
• Identify and share best practices
• Increase knowledge of industrial and scientific communities across Europe
• Create a critical mass at European level to conduct transnational R&D
Resources needed
The management of the network has been and will be supported until 2021 by the European Commission with €5.5M.
Currently, these resources allow to manage national/regional public funding from 14 regions and 10 countries.
Currently, these resources allow to manage national/regional public funding from 14 regions and 10 countries.
Evidence of success
Since 2007, MANUNET has launched 11 calls for proposals. It has successfully coordinated 24 national/regional funding programmes and an average of 19 million Euros have been pre-committed per call. As a result, 874 proposals have been received and more than 2,884 SMEs have been actively involved.
In total, MANUNET has been able to mobilise €255M in R&D expenditure since 2007 from which €143M are national/regional public funds.
In total, MANUNET has been able to mobilise €255M in R&D expenditure since 2007 from which €143M are national/regional public funds.
Potential for learning or transfer
MANUNET has a great potential for learning. Its long trajectory related to the cross-border value chains shows the importance of boosting the collaboration between different regions to generate technological advances.
This kind of collaborative programmes on halfway between Horizon 2020 and the national/regional funding programmes allows the enterprises, mainly SMEs, to initiate the participation in transnational collaborative R&D projects with great impact in their organisations.
This is an example of how different regions can work together to foster the R&D and innovation in their SMEs and to establish collaboration networks constituted by both regional/national governments and enterprises.
MANUNET has a great potential to be transferred to other regions or to raise the number of regions that participate in the MANUNET programme itself.
This kind of collaborative programmes on halfway between Horizon 2020 and the national/regional funding programmes allows the enterprises, mainly SMEs, to initiate the participation in transnational collaborative R&D projects with great impact in their organisations.
This is an example of how different regions can work together to foster the R&D and innovation in their SMEs and to establish collaboration networks constituted by both regional/national governments and enterprises.
MANUNET has a great potential to be transferred to other regions or to raise the number of regions that participate in the MANUNET programme itself.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Regional Government of País Vasco
Spain
País Vasco
Contact
Project manager