PITCCH

Advanced technologies are key drivers towards transformation and efficiency of industry. Today behind every innovation is a complex and high-tech supply chain where SMEs have an important role to foster invention. Their role of drivers of innovation mainly happen through collaborations with large enterprises (LEs). However, getting SMEs engaged with LEs and vice versa still encounters some barriers. Major challenges are related with finding interesting innovations and connecting them through trustful and beneficial collaborations. The PITCCH project aims to build a pan-European open innovation network to support the establishment of structured collaborations between innovative SMEs and LEs to take up their advanced technologies-based solutions, by intermediating the connection between needs and cutting-edge offers.
The PITCCH consortium intends to build a well-reputed network ecosystem gathering technology centres, LEs and SMEs. Actors will be attracted from partners’ networks and from other existing European initiatives, such as the EEN, the DIH catalogues, the KET observatory, the SME Instrument Hub. To create a critical mass of partnerships, selected LEs will launch 15 Corporate Challenges to call for SMEs. After a selection, best SMEs will be supported by the PITCCH support schemes to develop their projects.
A Digital Open Innovation Platform will be developed to serve as the central brokerage service point, enabling an efficient functioning of the network. The platform will support the members of the network in scouting potential partners and in managing the requests for brokerage services. A brokerage services portfolio will be set up based on the competences of TCs and the needs of companies. To achieve the final objective of long-term sustainability of the network, three different business models as support schemes to Open Innovation partnerships will be tested. By the end, the most sustainable will be chosen as base to build a PITCCH Sustainability Plan.