On 23.7.2008 under a memorandum of compliance the Technology Innovation Centre and the South Moravian Innovation Centre signed an agreement about cooperation in activities connected to the organisation of support for innovative business, support and development of innovations in small and medium sized businesses, transfer of technologies and the inclusion of small and medium sized business and research organisations into projects of European applied research, where the Technology Innovation Centre became a cooperating partner of the Enterprise Europe Network Czech Republic.

The Enterprise Europe Network commenced its activities in February 2008. Its goal is the support of small and medium sized companies in the development of their innovative potential and the improvement of competitiveness. This new initiative of the European Commission offers entrepreneurs a single contact location to which they may turn with specific questions and where they can take advantage of a wide range of easily accessible services for the support of companies. The advantage of the Enterprise Europe Network is access to all service under the one roof. With more than 500 contact locations and almost 4000 experienced workers in approximately 40 European countries it is the largest European network providing consulting and services to companies.

With its extensive and expert knowledge and contacts the network provides practical assistance in cases, where a company is seeking new business partners in another member state or advice about the development of an innovation concept or how to apply for financing for European research. The network provides companies "business support within easy reach", as the slogan says. All small and medium sized companies obtain from each organisation in this new network customised services through the use of the latest technology.

The network provides the following services:

Consulting for entrepreneurs:

• consulting and information about the internal market of the EU and possibilities of increasing the competitiveness of companies,
• consulting in the area of European legislation and national regulations,
• information about conditions for doing business within the European wide framework.

Services for the support of the transfer of technologies and innovations:

• identification of appropriate technology from abroad,
• identification of partners for cooperation on Czech technologies,
• consulting in the area of financing, intellectual property, etc.

Consulting in area 7 of the framework program.

The Czech part of the network is carried out under the BISONet project (Business Innovation SuppOrt Network for the Czech Republic), which is executed by a consotium of partners. Coordinated by the Technology Centre AV CZ. The Enterprise Europe Network was created under the framework of the Competition and Innovation Programme (CIP).

Cooperation partners, customers and classifieds technologies or licences from the network can be found at http://www.inovacnipodnikani.cz/e_moznosti.

Contacts:
Mgr. Veronika Fojtáchová
phone: +420 573 776 253
e-mail: fojtachova(at)ticzlin.cz

More detailed information about the network can be found at www.enterprise-europenetwork.cz.