About EFPC

The EPISTEP project, www.epistep.org has the objective to enable SMEs participation in the FP6 and FP7 according to the Economic and Technological Intelligence guidelines with the goal to explore how to enhance their presence in the three IST European Technology Platforms (ETP), namely mobile communications, embedded systems and nano-electronics.  It will also address any Joint Technology Initiatives (JTI) related to them.

This objective will be realised through two different paths:

·          a web based portal to facilitate the exchange and sharing of information as well as contacts among  SMEs operating in these three areas and

·          organisation of missions, brokerage events, workshops and technical assistance.

The main activities are :

1.       Establishment of formal cooperation agreements with each of the three target ETPs.

2.       Identification and contact of SMEs operating in the market sectors of mobile communications, embedded systems and nano-electronics

3.       Raising the awareness of SMEs of their specific interests and capabilities of operating in the IST ETPs

4.       Appraisal of the capability of SMEs to successfully operate in this evolving market sector

5.       Provide an ongoing interface with the three IST ETPs by establishing an open, broad third tier cooperation framework to provide two way access between the platforms and the broader related SME population

6.       Identification of the IST ETP projects and calls for proposals of interest to the identified SMEs

7.       Identification of the roles SMEs can play in IST ETPs

8.       Realisation of a web portal to facilitate and optimise support and dissemination activities

9.       Awareness and training of SMEs through the organisation of national workshops and training sessions

10.   Engaging SMEs with ETPs by taking them on missions to meet platform actors

11.   The organisation of trans-national brokerage events and other partner-search activities

12.   Technical assistance and help desk for SMEs in the proposal and contract preparation phases

13.   Ongoing dissemination and exploitation activities

14.   Assessment of results and feedback to the European Commission on any problems and difficulties as regards participation of SMEs in IST ETP activities

15.   Production of a Methodology Assessment Report that highlights key success factors needed to engage SMEs with the platforms and disseminate this report to a range of European actors so they can exploit it in other sectors. This will enable to ALL other European Technology Platforms to engage with SMEs in their constituency. If other organisations/consortia are developing alternative methodologies, this will open up the possibility of comparison and sharing of practices.