Key Enabling Technologies for SMEs in Central Europe (KETGATE)

Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) are drivers of innovation and stimulators of economic growth. Within Europe, however, there are great differences in terms of access to KETs. These are particularly evident in many Central European countries where suitable infrastructure for KETs is still insufficiently available. The INTERREG project KETGATE pursued the goal of facilitating access to key enabling technologies for SMEs in Central Europe. The focus was on advanced materials, photonics and micro- & nanoelectronics in the areas transport, health and food.

Five business support organisations (BSO) and three research institutes (RTO) from eight European countries were involved in the project. Contact points were set up at each partner location to advise SMEs on key enabling technologies. In pilot project, jointly developed service models offered selected companies the concrete application of KETs through cross-border cooperation.

In order to promote not only the competitiveness of SMEs but also the implementation of regional smart specialisation strategies, the network was expanded by 20 additional organisations.

Steinbeis Europa Zentrum was responsible for: