1. INNEON and its regional anchorage
Funded by:
INNEON and its regional anchorage
Aitor Garro
ZABALA INNOVATION CONSULTING

2. INNEON, the network of eco-innovation investment
INNEON project
INNEON, the network of eco-innovation investment
Funded by the European Commission
DG Environment
ENV A.1 - Unit on Eco-innovation and the Circular Economy
10 partners
From 6 countries
Geographical & topical task share
Duration
January 2014 to June 2016 – and beyond

3. INNEON objectives
Creation of a network of investors and financiers
Identify, support and coach eco-innovation entrepreneurs and SMEs to reach investor readiness
Matching entrepreneurs and investors via an IT platform and networking conferences

4. INNEON at a glance Innovators Investors
Entrepreneurs or SMEs with eco-innovation product, service or business model
Investors
Business Angels, Venture Capital (VCs) and Corporate Investors
Connected online and
at live events
Receive
customised coaching & access to investors
Receive suitable, pre-screened investment opportunities

5. A successful initiative
There are in total 65 investors engaged.
Attract to the network innovative SMEs and entrepreneurs in the field of eco-innovation, from which 80 companies were retained for a coaching phase to strengthen their “investor readiness”.
Presentation to investors of these companies via:
INNEON partners.
Live events (CLEANTECH Forum, ECOSUMMIT, CLEANEQUITY Monaco…).
Access to INNEON Community in EuroQuity.
The first deals between the investors and the SMEs/entrepreneurs are starting to happen were 7 initiatives have obtained financing.

6. INNEON platform: www.inneon.eu

7. Experience of the consortium
Members of INNEON consortium have cooperated together in previous European projects. Successful results, tools and methodologies obtained will serve as basis for the European network of eco-innovation financiers and investors.
Significant depth of expertise in ECO-INNOVATION with several demonstrated actions, i.e GREENOVATE!, ECO-PRO, BIOCHEM, INNOWATER and REMAKE: appropriate balance of skills and expertise across finance and new venture development required to deliver a successful project.
COACHING entrepreneurs and SMEs to become “investor ready”, for INVESTOR READINESS with EUROPEAN GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE.
Knowledge of the financing sector: A REALISTIC APPROACH.

8. INNEON’s clients INNEON is a platform with three types of clients:
Eco-innovative SMEs in search of a funding mix to ensure their growth “glo-cally” (globally and locally).
Investors in search of promising high growth/ high profits SMEs, thanks to smart regulations in Europe supporting the development of sustainable solutions in line with regional, national and European long-term sustainability ambitions.
Regions and / or member states willing to provide an extra service to the above players provided that they are located or going to locate in their area for investment and value creation.

9. The challenges of INNEON with the regions
The INNEON services tested over the past 30 months show that a private platform may find in Europe a business case in supporting regions that are already in potential competition:
To detect the local or external industrial nuggets whose growth ought to be supported within the regions, in order to bring eco-innovation to the local eco-system and export their products on the European market: examples of such companies cover construction companies using bio-based materials, breeders of vegetal species for bio food, developers of mobility solutions for large cities, etc.
To increase their economic attractiveness by including access to finance beyond what is usually offered (land, tax rebates, etc.) with a long-term perspective in terms of support to reach clients “beyond the national borders”.
To show that their contribution to reach a more sustainable economy leans on local industrial assets, and not on “imported” solutions, whose sustainable “added-value” is generated elsewhere. Recent examples of PV modules imported from China, energy metering managed by Google or electricity storage devices manufactured in Korea show the need to look for innovative technologies or services that can be sourced locally.

10. The challenge for regions
The challenge for regions is to improve policies that can boost entrepreneurship and support SMEs - in all stages of their life cycle - helping them develop, grow and innovate, while breaking down the barriers that prevent business growth.
The field is complex and requires much learning in terms of :
internationalisation,
access to market,
financing,
growth capacity,
networking and clustering,
innovation capacity,
business transfer,
entrepreneurship development and
capacity building.
It also entails incorporation of new forms of SME development, such as design, eco-conception and corporate social responsibility.

11. INNEON offers to the regions
General objective: the promotion of entrepreneurship (creation of new enterprises or acceleration/support to already existing companies), in a sector considered strategic for the European Union as it is eco-innovation (initiatives related to the development of clean technologies and increased efficiency in the use of resources in general).
Specific objectives:
Integration of regional stakeholders in a common structure of entrepreneurs support.
Link with investors.
Improvement of the entrepreneurs support with a better vision on:
Business internationalization
International cooperation
Focus on market insight and gap analysis.
Operational objectives:
To link the regional stakeholders with interest in eco-innovation support.
Definition of an innovative mechanism to support entrepreneurs.
Evaluation of X ideas by region and year
Pilot implementation supporting X entrepreneurs by region and year.
Dissemination.

12. Experience of the consortium

13. INNEON offers to the regions
Phase 1: Selection of project ideas:
During this first phase, the Regions involved in the project would be attracting and pre-evaluating the project and company ideas to be potentially supported by INNEON. To achieve this, a working methodology will be established including:
Elaboration of a public call for proposals, attracting the potential entrepreneurs and SMEs in the region that would like to count with the INNEON platform support. Any company or entrepreneur proposing an innovative business opportunity dealing with eco-innovation would be a candidate to benefit from INNEON services.
Activity to be carried out by the participating regional entities
Dissemination and promotion of the call for proposals to attract as many candidates as possible. This will involve the publication in different media, organizing info days, and publicizing the call via the usual channels used by the regions.

14. INNEON offers to the regions
Publication of the calls for proposals. Management of the reception.
Activity to be carried out by the participating regional entities with the support of the INNEON platform facilities.
Evaluation and selection of the most promising project ideas, entrepreneurs and SMEs. The companies or entrepreneurs participating in the calls would send an application form with technical and economic information about their innovative business idea to the INNEON platform, the INNEON team (selected experts from a pool of professional evaluators specialized in innovation management) would analyse the information provided according to several criteria: stage of development and novelty, solution performance, IPR & regulation issues, market opportunities identified, end users, commercialisation plan, resources, etc
Activity to be carried out by the consultants

15. Experience of the consortium

16. INNEON offers to the regions
Phase 2: Support to selected project ideas:
Each of the selected project ideas, entrepreneurs or SMEs will receive an INNEON voucher, allowing them to benefit from some dedicated support and resources of the INNEON platform and its consultants.
Depending on the status, interest and need of each of the beneficiaries, the support will be oriented towards achieving public funding (via public funding programs), or towards preparing the SME/entrepreneur for private investment. IN these cases, the beneficiaries will be brought and matched with the network of investors already involved in INNEON.
This is also shown in the next diagram:

17. Experience of the consortium

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