Best practices and policy instruments supporting the internationalisation of eco-innovative SMEs Rita Silva Portuguese Innovation Agency

13th European Forum on Eco-innovation Project goals: To understand the role and dynamics of public policies in eco-innovation To promote and jointly implement better eco-innovation policies and instruments To reinforce the European eco-innovation community Accelerating Eco-innovation policies

13th European Forum on Eco-innovation Accelerating Eco-innovation policies Contributes to the European level eco-innovation policy by: identifying and analysing promising eco-innovation practices and instruments launching pilot implementation actions in the partnering countries developing recommendations for the implementation of better eco-innovation policies and instruments

13th European Forum on Eco-innovation Accelerating Eco-Innovation policies Eco-innovation policy development Better eco-innovation policy instruments Preliminary analysis of the current policies and instruments In-depth analysis of the current policies and instruments Feasibility studies & implementation pilots Recommendations for the implementation of eco-innovation policies and instruments

Green public procurement as powerful demand-side instrument Waste management & recycling as a sector with a very high CO2 footprint and high potential for business creation Internationalisation as means to increase productivity by enlarging markets for eco-innovators 13th European Forum on Eco-innovation Prioritary areas:

Main difficulties that prevent eco-innovative Smes’ move towards new markets stem from the lack of scale and lack of critical mass and are most visible on the levels of: 13th European Forum on Eco-innovation SME’s lack the capital and have added difficulty in accessing funding to support their internationalisation strategies the implementation of an internationalisation strategy requires a lot of time from companies, which comes at the loss of focus on day to day activities; SME´s lack the means to effectively identify sources, analyze information and prepare market data, as well as to identify and screen potential clients.; SME’s have low cooperation levels, have difficulties in creating their own international networking and generating effective business leads

Policy implementation Agencies/entities WP6: Internationalisation framework Developing internal resources Demonstrating technologies / solutions Creating networks ECO- INNOVATIVE SMEs Policy makers Internationalization and Innovation support services/ programs Policy: e.g. Positive Discrimination via selection, Financial incentives Policy: e.g. Positive Discrimination via selection, Financial incentives Setting up of businesses Market: Knowing, entering Information / Raising awareness Identifying needs Monitoring / Evaluation Developing external resources (networks)

13th European Forum on Eco-innovation Main gaps and bottlenecks in the internationalisation Support system….. Lack of public supporting lines for the demonstration and validation of technologies abroad Lack of specialized and tailored support for the setting up of businesses in target markets Development of internal skills on internationalisation management Lack of adequate support for clusters international development and coordination along the value-chain Insufficient coordination between internationalisation and innovation support entities, overlapping of instruments, dispersion of supporting programmes Lack of venture capital instruments for fast-growing start-up companies Lack of flexible, innovative funding schemes Policy Makers Policy implementation Agencies Eco-Innovative SMEs Monitoring / evaluating Funding Identifying needs Developing internal resources Developing networks Demonstrating Technologies Setting up of businesses abroad Not enough focus on SMEs specific needs

Funding V IGO Accelerators (FI) R&D Vouchers (SE) Partnering and Networking Business Export Partnership (FI) Finnish Environmental Cluster for China (FI) Validation and Piloting DemoEnvironment (SE) International Climate initiative (GE) Capacity Building INOV Contacto / INOV Export (PT) 13th European Forum on Eco-innovation Best practices and policy instruments for filling the gaps and overcoming bottlenecks…..

13th European Forum on Eco-innovation ECOPOL’s Recommendations Support for Exports Partner Groups in eco-innovation Support for the internationalisation and coordination of eco-innovation clusters Creating scale and critical mass for SMEs Need for the establishment of local broker/facilitator infrastructures and business incubation services Support for technology demonstration and validation Improving eco-innovative SMEs’ assistance in target markets Need for programs supporting SMEs qualification and capacity building in international marketing and networking Raising SMEs’ skills in internationalisation processes: Need for the implementation of vouchers’ schemes to access internationalisation expertise, possibly with co- funding from structural funds. Need for flexible, risk capital instruments to leverage and speed start-up companies’ growth and internationalisation Creating innovative and flexible funding instruments

Thank you! Rita Silva Portuguese Innovation Agency