EU Project IMP3rove for Increased Innovation and Competitiveness in Europe
BERLIN
The European Commission launched the project "IMP3rove," with the aim of effectively improving innovation and competitiveness in small and medium enterprises (SME) in Europe. The main focus of IMP3rove is a new online platform, which can be used by companies from five to several hundred employees to review their innovation processes by means of a web-based questionnaire and compare themselves with the best in their industry in Europe. This is an important prerequisite for the reduction of development time for new products as well as the "time to profit". In the test phase, SMEs can receive a free consultation interview. The project was introduced during a press conference in Berlin by representatives of the EU and the German government, along with leading consortium members A.T. Kearney and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. The new platform is now available at: www.improve-innovation.eu.
In addition to SMEs, IMP3rove is also intended for innovation-management consulting firms, political decision-makers, and financial investors. Through IMP3rove, consulting firms gain access to new clients, best practice analyses and methods that allow them to detect and fill gaps in their clients' innovation management. Investors are now in the position to identify European companies that are particularly innovative. The platform will supply political decision-makers with first-hand information about the success factors and barriers that confront companies' innovation-management development. The European Commission will support the project until to December 2009 with a total sum of 5 million Euros.
IMP3rove's long-term goal is to establish a uniform standard for evaluating the innovation capabilities of companies through a standardized online assessment platform.
SMEs throughout Europe can now complete the standardized questionnaire. They will then receive a report that evaluates all aspects of their innovation management and compares them with leading companies. In the test phase, weaknesses and strengths are determined and concrete recommendations for action are included cost-free.
Further information: www.improve-innovation.eu
Press Contact:
Frank Schroeder
A.T. Kearney GmbH
Kaistrasse 16A
40221 Duesseldorf (Germany)
+49(211)1377-2272 (Office)