Fieldlab SME Innovation
Our world faces enormous challenges. In the next generation, the world population will increase by more than two billion people.
Fieldlab SME Innovation
Assessment of new technology by and for SMEs
SMEs reap the benefits of innovation stimulation by the government to a limited extent. Existing subsidies are mainly focused on research and insufficiently on the application and implementation of technology. It is precisely the application, implementation and access to technology that is important for SMEs.
The development and sharing of new technology is taking place at breakneck speed these days. For example, the introduction of new imaging techniques and robotization are commonplace. Large companies have the resources to quickly and efficiently access newly available technology. This does not apply to SMEs, not even to knowledge-intensive SMEs, because people and resources are often lacking to carry out evaluation and validation of available technology.
Validation and evaluation are important because the application of new technology in a company is often not a matter of doing and going. Validation and evaluation make it possible to assess the weaknesses and strengths of a technology in a business environment. After this, it can be decided whether a technology is useful and how it can be implemented and incorporated correctly.
The TKI TU is currently working on the development of an instrument that should lower the threshold for making an investment decision. This includes feasibility projects that focus on evaluation and/or validation of technology. Five pilot projects are now being developed and implemented so that the usefulness and necessity of the intended instrument can actually be weighed.
The pilot projects that are now being developed and implemented are small-scale in nature with a maximum size of €10k. These projects are, for example, about evaluating software that simplifies analysis of DNA data or about validating technology to improve the greenhouse climate through optimal air mixing.
The results of these projects are made available to interested parties. It will be decided in the autumn of 2021 whether the further rollout of the intended instrument will actually be initiated.
Information:
Bernard de Geus: +31 (0)6 51 64 78 15
