PROJECT IDEA
The Project Idea Form is a public document, if you wish to keep it private at between the
JS and your partnership at this stage, please advise your Facilitator /
Project Name /
Contact /
Name /
Organisation /
Address /
Telephone number /
E-mail /
j.allen@gre.ac.uk
Specific Objective /
Keep only one and erase the others/
1.1 - To increase the delivery and uptake of innovative products, processes, systems
and services in shared smart specialisation sectors.
The Interreg VA France (Channel) England Programme is financed by European Regional Development Funds/
Summary description of the project idea (1 page max.) /
The Challenge
SMEs are at the heart of our regional economic regeneration and innovation is widely recognised as
the conduit for SMEs to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Yet SMEs frequently struggle to
grow beyond SMEs particularly micro and very small businesses.
Over the past 10 years a series of UK Government reports (Cox 2005, Sainsbury 2007, Wilson 2012),
have suggested that innovation is the key to achieving sustainable advantage and that design is a
fundamental component of innovation. Many SME intervention projects delivered by HEI’s, have
provided successful SME support to encourage innovation, but rarely is there a focus specifically on
design ie there is a gap in innovation support. Our challenge is improve the design ingredient as part
of the value chain to grow micro and very small businesses into bigger businesses.
The Solution
James Dyson successfully grasped this link between design and innovation creating a reputation for
design led innovation. The DESIGN adds VALUE Project (DAV) aims to provide design support to micro
and very small businesses to develop new product, process, systems, brands and services. We believe
that HEIs in partnership with business brokers or agencies have a greater role to play in creating
design driven innovations within our regions to deliver the expertise for new business growth.
Examples of concrete actions /
Changes that the project will contribute to /
The Interreg VA France (Channel) England Programme is financed by European Regional Development Funds/
Cross border added value /
The FCE region is characterised by SMEs who face common the challenges of disparities of rates of
innovation within their area. Equally the common opportunities to learn from other more successful
innovative SMEs and HEIs. The project aligns the FCE regional needs of SMEs to the HEI resource base
at a transnational level. SMEs will benefit from the knowledge sharing pooled between English and
French HEI specialists, innovation centres and SMEs in a previously untapped network of partners.
The project aims to encourage micro and very small SMEs to develop existing and new products,
processes, services and brands into markets beyond their existing region. This co-operation project
will expose SMEs to new cross channel markets where they can add value and to develop cross
border trade within the FCE region.
In isolation, French partners report very small and micro SMEs reach a growth plateau, where they
need to identify new products and services to break through. English partners have experience of
design led new product and process innovation to enhance SME growth. This sharing of SME growth
is a prime example of cross border cooperation to encourage more inter-regional and intra-regional
trade and collaboration. Equally French partners have artisan SMEs who can benefit from proven
expertise within English HEIs where new products have been supported in these types of enterprises.
Initial project scoping has been taking place since summer 2015 with partner meetings. The entire
project is predicated on joint development of cross territory programme of activities and tasks e.g.
English specialists working with French SMEs and vice-versa similarly French experts will deliver
support in conjunction with English specialists. We will have joint management and steering group
meetings, to monitor and review project progress and timely delivery. The Lead Partner has an
existing project infrastructure to ensure financial management and compliance.
Capitalisation on previous initiatives/
Sustainability/
The Interreg VA France (Channel) England Programme is financed by European Regional Development Funds/
Partners (with their geographical areas) already involved in the project idea /
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University of Greenwich, South Eastern England
Plymouth College of Art and Design, South West England
Lab 51, Brittany
Potential partners sought (skills wanted) /
England /
A design organisation or business brokerage agency to with reach across the Southern area of
England, design specialists who can engage with SMEs and the HEIs to add value to the project.
France /
Start date and end date of the project /
Summer/Autumn 2016 – December 2019
Estimated project cost /
Circa €2m
Other comments /
We are planning a partner meeting on Friday 27th November 11-4pm in Paris and welcome new
partners. Please contact lead partner if you would like to join us.
Has a programme facilitator from the InterregVA FCE Joint Technical Secretariat provided
advice to the project applicant? /
Keep only one and erase the others/
Yes /
If yes, facilitator’s name /
Name /
The Interreg VA France (Channel) England Programme is financed by European Regional Development Funds/