INNOCOACH

INNOCOACH is a project funded under Horizon 2020 (Grant Agreement No. 959646) that developed a structured methodology to improve coaching services for SMEs interested in the EIC Accelerator

Obiettivo

The project involved three Innovation Agencies – IMMIB (Turkey), KEPA (Greece) and ComoNExT (Italy) – with the objective of strengthening the capacity of support organizations in guiding SMEs through the preparation of competitive proposals, with a particular focus on business planning, market analysis, budgeting and pitching.

Through research activities (surveys and interviews with SMEs and Innovation Agencies), peer learning workshops and a pilot phase involving 18 SMEs, the consortium identified recurring challenges and needs faced by companies throughout the EIC Accelerator application process.

The main outcome of the project is a Design Options Paper (DOP), a practical handbook based on the Twinning+ methodology. It introduces a four-step framework – Attract, Inform, Train, Coach – supported by concrete tools such as a self-assessment questionnaire, company identikit, fundability matrix and pitch guidelines.

INNOCOACH contributes to creating stronger synergies among Innovation Agencies and to improving SMEs’ readiness to access EIC funding through a more strategic, market-oriented and user-centered coaching model.

Partner di progetto

• IMMIB (TR)
• KEPA (GR)
ComoNExT (IT)

Attività di NExT

Within INNOCOACH, ComoNExT played a central role in both the methodological development and implementation phases.

ComoNExT contributed to the research activities, including surveys and interviews with SMEs and Innovation Agencies, helping to identify key challenges in the EIC Accelerator application process

It organized and led the second Peer Learning Workshop (September 2021), sharing advanced expertise on EIC proposal preparation, evaluation criteria and pitching strategies

During the pilot workshop, ComoNExT delivered training sessions on navigating the EIC AI Platform and analyzing the Full Proposal Template, providing hands-on guidance to participating SMEs

Through its expertise in innovation financing and EIC coaching, ComoNExT significantly contributed to the development of the final Design Options Paper (DOP), ensuring a structured, market-oriented and practice-based coaching framework.

A chi si rivolge

• Innovation Agency (e.g. EEN organisations, Chambers of Commerce, Business Support Organisations, Innovation Hubs), as direct beneficiaries of the developed coaching methodology.
• SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) particularly innovative startups and scale-ups interested in applying to the EIC Accelerator, including companies awarded the Seal of Excellence, as indirect beneficiaries and pilot participants.

Staff ComoNExT coinvolto

• 2 Incubation programme managers

Aziende della community coinvolte

• Yk Robotics
• Silk Biomaterial
• Hiro Robotics
• 3BEE
• COELUX