eM-POWERing SME Clusters to help SMEs overcome the valley of death
Funding Program:
Horizon 2020
Call:
BBI-2019-SO4-S4
GA No.:
101000594
Duration:
2020-2022
EC Funding:
€ 1.578.907
MPowerBIO empowers Clusters to bring SMEs across the financial valley of death
Many SMEs experience that even though they have a good idea or a good product, they cannot get an investor. They need to be able to pitch their idea perfectly, have a strong business plan, a clear strategy, a well-defined customer base, etc. to attract investors.
European clusters need to be better suited to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) overcome the valley of death i.e. the difficult task of finding sufficient investment to get from idea to business. This is the main focus of the MPowerBIO project.
In the MPowerBIO project 10 training the trainers’ events will be arranged for a total of 90 clusters across the bioeconomy, covering most of Europe. The events are set up to help clusters understand how SMEs can obtain capital and grow.
Our role in the project
Foodscale Hub will set up and implement a capacity building programme for bio-based SME clusters along with an integrated business support services for SME. The program will offer practical help on how cluster managers and other innovation intermediaries can mobilize—and enhance—their skills, resources, and services to support SMEs in business development and access to finance.
MPowerBIO by numbers
- Co-design a capacity building and business support programmes;
- Empowering 90 clusters to provide business support to 250 SMEs;
- Develop online tools to support the assessment of investment readiness;
- Organise an e-learning tool for capacity building and training;
- Foster regional competitions to build pitching skills;
- Arrange pan-European final events; and
- Boost 72 SMEs to develop relations with investors and potential partners.