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ROCKET (Regional Collaboration on Key Enabling Technologies)
Published on 05 December 2018
Netherlands
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About this good practice
The "ROCKET - Regional Collaboration on Key Enabling Technologies (KETs)" project is the engine to bring comprehensive economic competencies on KETs in the German-Dutch border area together, to build and to deploy a measurable and future-oriented economic development.
The processes for project submissions would often be too bureaucratic, intransparent, and time consuming. ROCKET is designed to overcome these barriers. A consortium of permanent core partners facilitates application forms and processes for SMEs to be funded and acquire SMEs to participate in sub-projects. SMEs receive grants up to 300.000 € for their innovation projects with a duration of around 2.5 - 3 years (funding rate 60%). Due to the core partners the application process for SMEs is facilitated and thus, more attractive for SMEs.
The Dutch-German collaboration is a requirement of the projects, the core-partners have excellent contacts on both sides of the border to also assists SMEs in finding partners across the border. The funded SME innovation sub-projects are further stimulated through effective knowledge dissemination throughout the networks of each partner.
This results in 11 innovation projects, 7 feasibility studies, and over 40 new products based on KETs in healthcare, manufacturing and energy. All the while, providing both answers to global challenges and growth impulses across the whole border region.
The processes for project submissions would often be too bureaucratic, intransparent, and time consuming. ROCKET is designed to overcome these barriers. A consortium of permanent core partners facilitates application forms and processes for SMEs to be funded and acquire SMEs to participate in sub-projects. SMEs receive grants up to 300.000 € for their innovation projects with a duration of around 2.5 - 3 years (funding rate 60%). Due to the core partners the application process for SMEs is facilitated and thus, more attractive for SMEs.
The Dutch-German collaboration is a requirement of the projects, the core-partners have excellent contacts on both sides of the border to also assists SMEs in finding partners across the border. The funded SME innovation sub-projects are further stimulated through effective knowledge dissemination throughout the networks of each partner.
This results in 11 innovation projects, 7 feasibility studies, and over 40 new products based on KETs in healthcare, manufacturing and energy. All the while, providing both answers to global challenges and growth impulses across the whole border region.
Expert opinion
"ROCKET" and the follow-up project "ROCKET Reloaded" are both Interreg VA projects across the German-Dutch border. The aim of the projects is to encourage cross border cooperation in the field of Key Enabling Technologies (such as nanotechnologies, advanced materials & production). Cooperation is supported by providing up to 300 000 eur grants to cross border projects or feasibility studies and by providing advisory services by the core partners to the recipients of the grants. The application process has been made as easy as possible by consciously removing bureaucratic obstacles and by providing technical assistance in filling out the relevant forms. Given that the project was renewed for the second period in 2019 it can be transferred that ROCKET has been a useful business support measure in the region.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
Budget 9,994,868.76 €
Evidence of success
Number of SME having received funding for cross-border projects: 92
Number of SMEs having receive non-financial support (advise, networks, etc.): 31
Private investments supporting funding for SME Projects: 2.105.362,00 €
Number of SMEs working together with research institutions: 37
Funded SME project "Super-Surf" won Econonmy Award by the Dutch-German Chamber of Commerce in 2019.
Number of SMEs having receive non-financial support (advise, networks, etc.): 31
Private investments supporting funding for SME Projects: 2.105.362,00 €
Number of SMEs working together with research institutions: 37
Funded SME project "Super-Surf" won Econonmy Award by the Dutch-German Chamber of Commerce in 2019.
Potential for learning or transfer
The consortium is made up of core partners with a strong network in their particular region and/or technical sector, such as Clusters or regional business development agencies. These core partners are very close to the SME's in their network. The core partners deal with the main bureacratic issues and generate forms "as simple and unbureauractic as possible" for the SMEs to apply for funding for their cross-border innovation project or feasibility study and elaborated their own process of project approval within the consortium (and external experts tendered by the consortium) in line with the Programme rules. Moreover, they offer the SMEs technical assistance in filling out these forms and function as their first contact points for information or questions. Since the SMEs trust the core partners (because they regularly work and have worked with them in the cluster etc.) they can attract the SMEs more easily to engage in these CBC innovation projects.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Oost NL
Netherlands
Gelderland
Contact
Project Coordinator