Europe

ERASMUS for young entrepreneurs – SMEs

2020-12-31T00:00:00Z

An open call for a European exchange programme that helps new entrepreneurs to develop relevant skills for managing an SME by spending time working in another EU country with an experienced entrepreneur. The programme helps young entrepreneurs access new markets and find potential business partners. It also boosts networking opportunities between business people and SMEs. Experienced entrepreneurs (who own or manage an established SME in a European country) will also benefit from this programme by gaining new commercial relations and finding out more about opportunities in another EU country through young entrepreneurs.

Interested new and experienced entrepreneurs apply through the on-line registration form and establish contact with the intermediary organisations (IOs) that they have chosen. To date 102 intermediary organisations (IOs) have been selected to run the programme across 21 EU countries. They generally operate at national or regional level, support New Entrepreneurs (NEs) and Host Entrepreneurs (HEs) in finding the best matches, facilitate contacts and follow the relationships before the stay abroad starts. They offer local assistance to visiting NEs (such as with housing, transport, insurance, etc.) during their stay with the HEs.

West Midlands regional contacts that can assist are:

Coventry University Enterprises Limited

Ms Barbara Jaszczyk, Project Officer

Coventry University Technology Park, Puma Way, Coventry, CV1 2TT

Tel: +44 (0)24 7623

E-mail: [email protected]">[email protected]

The University Wolverhampton

Mr. Steve Moore, Assistant Director of the Insitute for Innovation and Enterprise

Shifnal Road, Priorslee,Telford, TF2 9NT

Tel: +44 1 902 518 960

E-mail: [email protected]">[email protected]

Safer Internet 2009-2013

2013-09-30T00:00:00Z

A Call for Independent Experts for Safer Internet Programme 2009-2013 is now open. The Safer Internet Programme is funding activities at national and European levels to promote the safer use of the Internet, particularly for children and young people, and to fight against illegal and harmful content and conduct

The tasks of the experts are usually related to the evaluation of proposals submitted in response to calls for proposals, and the review of individual Safer Internet projects, as well as legacy projects funded under the Safer Internet plus programme.

To submit your application as an independent expert, you simply need to register as an expert in the Safer Internet experts database. Only on-line applications are accepted.

General information

Call Text

Specifications

Opportunity to attend ICT2010

2010-08-11T08:59:08Z

Golden opportunity for ICT SMEs looking for European funding

Assistance is available for ICT SMEs from the West Midlands region who want to explore European funding opportunities to support R&D - in particular to meet with lead partners from other countries planning to develop proposals under the latest ICT Call (FP7).

Critical to having a chance of success to gain EU funding is identifying proposers (lead partners), with relevant project ideas, who are developing proposals that have a “match” with your own area of expertise. In reality, many projects are very keen to identify SMEs to join their partnerships as this is seen as a priority by the Commission, but they often struggle to locate the most appropriate smaller companies.

The big event in the year for identifying these opportunities is the Commission’s own ICT conference & brokerage event. For this reason the Bridging the Opportunity Gap (BtOG) project are supporting participation at this year’s event – ICT 2010, 27-29 September, Brussels – for a small number of ICT SMEs from the West Midlands region that have R&D capacity and who we believe could directly benefit from participation.

In addition to meeting project proposers, discussing latest technical developments & applications and gaining a far better understanding of EU priorities within the call of relevance to them, participating companies will also have access to key Commission officials.

If this is of potential interest to you and you’d like to find out more contact:

[email protected]">Hugo Russell, BtOG Project Manager or
[email protected]">Carolyn Hall, BtOG European Adviser.

NOTE: The BtOG project is providing financial support for the SMES involved. The project team is also planning some additional initiatives in order to optimise benefits of participation for members of our West Midlands group. These include:

Hosting an ICT 2010 West Midlands reception on the evening of 28 September. This will be at our Brussels-based West Midlands in Europe (WMiE) office. In addition to inviting representatives from other European regions with potential project ideas - with whom dialogue is already on-going – each participating SME will have a limited number of invitations to issue to contacts made at the event who offer potential for future project collaborations.
Producing fliers & visual presentation materials on our participating SMEs to help get them noticed and maximise potential opportunities. The BtOG project will be joining WMiE on the ERRIN exhibition stand at ICT 2010. As well as using this for promotional purposes on the companies’ behalf it can also be a meeting point for them to follow-up with potentially interested contacts.
Providing funding and support for a follow-up visit from a lead partner from another region if they wish to continue dialogue with a West Midlands SME about their potential role within a project partnership. [Wherever feasible this will be scheduled to coincide with our own ICT conference on 25 November].
Offering a preparatory session during the week prior to the Brussels event during which we’ll take those SME representatives joining the BtOG group through some of the key facts, jargon & acronyms they will need to understand in order for them to get the best possible returns from their time at ICT 2010. Participants will also meet with the UK National Contact Point for ICT FP7 who will provide his own words of wisdom & practical perspectives.
The BtOG team’s on-going support pre-, post- and during ICT 2010 to help companies gain the most from their participation.

Opportunity to contribute to the next workprogramme (2011-2013) of Networked Media

2009-10-01T00:00:00Z

D.G. Information Society and Media of the European Commission are starting the consultation process to prepare the next WorkProgramme 2011-13 of Networked Media under FP7. Four activities will be carried out in the next 4 months: a web consultation (already open and to close on 30 September 2009); one focal workshop on networked immersive media experiences (on 24 September); one focal workshop on Broadcast driven media in the Future Internet (on 25 September); and the final consultation workshop on 22 October where the contributors to the web consultation may be invited to make a presentation of their ideas for the next WorkProgramme.

You can contribute to this consultation exercise mainly through the web consultation that is opened to any topic related to the Networked Media research domain. DEADLINE for contributions: 30 September 2009. If this is relevant to you - please contribute!

If you are interested in research aspects at the crossroad of broadcast and the Future Media Internet, you can attend the workshop on "Broadcast driven Media in the Future Internet" on 25 September. Details of the agenda and the registration form.

If you are interested in the research area at the crossroad of networks and immersive Media, you can register for the workshop on "The Future of Networked Immersive Media" on 24 September. Details and the registration form.

West Midlands European Network

2009-07-31T17:13:31Z

West Midlands European Network (WMEN) is recognised as being the definitive regional resource for Third Sector organisations (voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises) seeking information and assistance with regard to European Funding in the West Midlands. High quality guidance and assistance is provided for those wishing to access the European Structural Funds ERDF and ESF. Further information.

TAFTIE

2009-07-31T17:09:26Z

TAFTIE is the European Network of Innovation Agencies. It represents a group of 21 organisations from 20 European countries and has established an intense collaboration in the field of the implementation of national technology Programmes.

The main purpose of TAFTIE is to encourage international co-operation between its member organisations and, through this, to assist companies' participation in international innovation and R&D projects. It is particularly keen to encourage SME's to take part in such projects. Through TAFTIE companies can be guided to the Programme best suited to their individual requirements. The association also allows national technology programmes to be strengthened and expanded at the international level.

Further information.

PIN-SME

2009-07-31T16:39:49Z

PIN-SME is an association formed in 2007 to represent the interests of Europe’s ICT SME sector. Currently eight national and regional associations are members, representing some 50,000 ICT SME companies that account for around 200k jobs.

Further information.

The UK Higher Education Europe Unit

2009-07-31T16:34:49Z

The Europe Unit is a sector-wide body which aims to raise awareness of the European issues affecting UK higher education and to coordinate the UK’s involvement in European initiatives and debates. Launched in January 2004, the Unit seeks to strengthen the position of the UK higher education sector in debates on the Bologna Process and EU policy.

Further information.

Enterprise Europe Network

2009-07-31T16:30:55Z

A network of over 550 regional actors covering more than 40 countries and delivering business and innovation support services such as information on EU matters, business and technology cooperation, exploitation and transfer of research results or participation in EU funded RTDI and other schemes.

Services from the Network are particularly designed for SMEs, but are also available to all businesses, research centres and Universities across Europe.

Further information.

ERRIN

2009-07-31T16:14:53Z

ERRIN (European Regions Research & Innovation Network) is is a unique network of 70 dynamic EU regions and their Brussels representation offices. Originally supported by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research in the frame of the Regions of Knowledge Pilot Action Programme ERRIN has since 2007 been moving to a sustainable Network.

ERRIN's five principal goals are: Knowledge Sharing at the EU level; Inter-regional exchanges; Practitioner development; Policy and thematic developments; Working with other Networks and Organisation. In particular it facilitates knowledge exchange, joint action and project partnerships between its members with the aim to strengthen their region's research and innovation capacities. ERRIN also aspires to influence EU policies in order to make them respond better to the needs of European regions and it engages in debate with EU institutions.

The West Midlands is taking a lead role in the establishment and running of ERRIN’s ICT Working Group.

Further information.