€5.7m call for advanced manufacturing assistance and training providers
The European Commission has launched a €5.7 million call for providers of advanced manufacturing assistance and training for SMEs.
Small, innovative, companies create the majority of new jobs in the European economy. Technological advances are making it easier and cheaper to start enterprises with limited own resources - but SMEs often struggle to scale up and create new jobs, including recruiting talent.
There is a wide range of public sector support through grants, subsidised loans, equity, and innovation support services. Yet SMEs are often dissatisfied with these, while at the same time the public expects a higher return from the support provided.
This call for proposals is one element of a broader action to address these challenges and develop the ecosystem of innovation support to SMEs in Europe.
The objective is to reinforce the competitiveness of manufacturing SMEs by providing easy and pan-European access to advanced manufacturing advice and expertise as well as training programmes. The services to be provided to the SME should be driven by its business needs and the implementation must be flexible and fast to better cope with the speed of innovation in advanced manufacturing and the SME requirements.
The action will consist of the two elements (which can be combined) which will continue and expand the activities of the Advanced Manufacturing Support Centre:
- Advice and support: the set-up of a pan-European advanced manufacturing assistance programme to support SMEs and to turn them into a 'factory of the future' with modern and sustainable production. SMEs will be supported to develop a transformation plan and will also be coached during the implementation phase.
- Training: the roll-out of an advanced manufacturing training programme. This programme will include training services and the development of framework(s) for training programmes ready to be scaled-up under the European Social Fund.
A contribution of up to €5.7 million from the European Union is available, with a minimum of 65% of the total budget allocated to above mentioned advice and trainings to SMEs.
The deadline for proposals is 1 December, 2020 (17.00 CET).
More information about this call is available here.
