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Centers of Innovation and Competitiveness (CINCO)
Start date: Dec 31, 2003, End date: Dec 30, 2005 PROJECT  FINISHED 

To overcome the new challenges posed by national and international competition and to adapt to the new technologies and environmental imperatives, the Atlantic Area must rapidly develop a ‘common acquired understanding’ founded on its capacity for innovation and its potential for knowledge. To this end, CINCO is intended to energise the ‘fabric of innovation’ of SMEs, which are the principal sources of employment and wealth in the European space. Thanks to the training of directors and managers in these enterprises, the project aims to develop a true culture of innovation. Furthermore, CINCO will develop and train ‘Agents of innovation’, who will carry out audits of enterprises in order to evaluate their level of innovation, and who will promote innovation by working with the economic agents involved. Achievements: Study/audit on the innovation culture in the Atlantic Area. Based on these, development of a questionnaire aimed at identifying the needs in innovation culture, innovation tools and innovation skills in the industrial fabric (especially SMEs). 1424 companies have been contacted on this subject. Search for and identification of innovative SMEs determined by the questionnaire. 7 companies were selected. Identification of topics for the organisation of workshops: Innovative management, Tools to aid innovation, Innovative R&D tools. Organisation of 15 workshops (859 participants). Diagnostic (report) of the needs detected in the European industrial fabric and identification of the skills required in the field of innovation. Identification and definition of the profile and the skills of the "innovative agent". Definition of the training programme for innovative agents: National innovation systems, innovation policies, management of innovative projects, innovative management in companies, management of company relations, management of scientific innovation parks. Production of training materials in Spanish, Portuguese, French and English. Organisation of 6 training seminars. 81 "innovation agents" trained. Implementation of a technology transfer network. Cooperation between the CINCO project and the IRC Network (Midlands Innovation Relay Centre). Design, development and creation of the CINCO website (26,500 visits): www.portalcinco.com Creation of an observatory, via the website. A collection of tools, methods, good practices and innovation capacities in the Atlantic Area. Design, development and testing of an audit tool to help SMEs in their innovation procedures. 83 companies audited. Design, development and testing of a self-assessment tool for SMEs. Publication of 1,000 brochures, 7,000 prospectuses and 5,000 books in the 4 languages of the programme, 19 articles in the press, 3 seminars.
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  • 66.1%   793 483,00
  • 2000 - 2006 Atlantic Area
  • Project on KEEP Platform
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