Good practice:

I-START

Small and micro companies frequently struggle to develop innovation projects, not only due to a lack of investment capacity, but also due to the difficulty to grasp the various opportunities available. This is particularly relevant for ceramic companies in Umbria Region, largely consisting of family-run businesses and micro enterprises.
The main target of the I-Start Programme are small and micro companies. It complements the other funding tools / programmes of Umbria Region, encouraging the creation of business clusters gathering SMEs facing similar needs and challenges, related to, i.e., territory / sector, specific themes, production chains, marketing / internationalisation. The objective is to boost innovation and encourage cooperation among companies/sectors, to support SME competitiveness.
I-Start operates in two distinct ways:
1) Awareness-raising activities among SMEs on the opportunities connected to innovation projects and on the advantages of collaboration with other companies (clusters) and universities/research centres;
2) Calls for innovation projects (process / product and / or research innovation) addressing clusters.
SMEs in the various clusters share project costs (35% co-financing) and results.
I-Start is managed by Umbria Innovazione - Innovation Agency of Umbria Region. It accompanies the I-Start clusters in the innovation process (from development of business / innovation idea to project implementation) and supports the creation of the cluster

For the 2012 and 2013 editions the funds granted to the projects amounted to € 1,280,190.00 (65% co-financing).
Moreover, human resources from Umbria Innovazione are necessary to manage the Programme and work with the clusters.

In 2012 and 2013 I-Start supported 75 projects, involving 239 companies (109 micro, 99 small, 28 medium, 3 large). For a total value of € 1.967.760 (65% co-financing from cluster companies).
For ceramics, I-Start supported the design of: a tableware line, a cup for hot chocolate, a line of glasses in borosilicate glass 3.3 and a line for cooking / serving.
One of the glasses was chosen by BMW Motor for the launch of SUV X5. The cup was optioned by the European Association CHOCOLATE WAY for the

Elements of I-Start that can be of interest for transfer and that are particularly relevant for ceramics and for crafts sector are:
• Special attention paid to the enterprises (micro / small) that normally struggle more to embrace innovation and access to funding opportunities;
• Wide range of services offered to target SMEs, from the support in the development of the innovation idea, to day-to-day support to clusters during the innovation process;
• Easy processes and forms to participate in the programme, reducing the administrative burden, which can also be an issue for micro companies with no dedicated staff;
• Support to networking among companies and to collaboration between businesses and Universities / Research institutions;
• Flexibility in terms of approach of the specific clusters and needs addressed.