Sweden has over 185 000 small and medium-sized enterprises. These businesses are the strategic backbone of the Swedish economy and the key driving force behind the creation of growth and employment in every sector of the national economy. We are committed to working with SME`s in order to see them realize their full potential. We do this by applying our expertise and knowledge to strategic opportunities.
Stimulate growth
One of our primary objectives – to stimulate growth and commercial well-being – involves helping Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) to develop and take advantage of new technology and knowledge crucial to their future commercial growth. We are interested in building effective partnerships with SMEs by means of the development of new or existing products. Our target is to create profitable sensor systems. We believe there is great potential to increase both added business value and market growth through the application of new technology in current and upcoming products. Our primary tool for creating innovation is our SME program which supports innovative research and the development and commercialization of new products and services.
Expert competence
Our multi-faceted technical skills and market knowledge with respect to future technical solutions means we can deliver more than technological specialization. It is our combination of technical knowledge and understanding of the conditions and market potential of small companies that allows us to offer expertise to this group. As we also combine research excellence with industrial expertise, we can apply knowledge at every stage of the product development process, from brainstorming through to prototype production, right up to start of production.
SME understanding
Since Imego is a small organization itself, it is easier for us to understand and exploit the advantages that small organizations have such as efficient decision-making processes and proximity to market and technological development. Nonetheless,, we are very conscious of the challenges that small companies face, such as a lack of resources. This means we are well-acquainted with requirements such as informal working methods, flexibility and close collaboration that are important in order to be able to carry out technically advanced projects together with our partners while working within acceptable time and cost restraints.
Financial Support
One tool for creating innovation is our SME program, which supports innovative research and the development and commercialization of new products and services. our normal step model for collaborative product development begins with a pre-study where feasible technical solutions for the development idea are investigated. Cost estimates both for the development and for the final product are also prepared. Parallel to this, the customer company investigates the market potential and earning potential for the product.
Depending on the result of the preliminary study, Imego can partially finance the continued development project along with the SME (we apply the EU definition of an SME:- fewer than 250 employees and less than 25% ownership by a corporate group). Financing always takes the form of a price reduction for Imego’s part of the project work. This is offset against a later payment in the form of licensing or royalties, for example.
In order to provide small companies with as beneficial opportunities as possible for financing development projects, Imego maintains continual contact with different types of financiers such as NUTEK, Vinnova, Innovationsbron, the Knowledge Foundation, the Nordic Innovation Centre (NICe), the Västra Götaland Region, and the EU. Through these connections, we can offer companies advice on the range of possibilities for development support that these financiers offer.
Equity
Participation in information and education projects
We participate actively in a variety of projects launched in order to disseminate knowledge of the opportunities offered by modern micro-technology and sensor systems. Examples of these include the minST project financed by the Knowledge Foundation, the recently concluded MINUT and PheaSafe projects financed by NICe, and the project Industriell Dynamik financed by the Västra Götaland Region. The motivation behind participating in these projects is that they offer opportunities for small companies to gain competence.
minST is one of several national projects founded by the Knowledge Foundation focused on increasing the competence at SMEs. Within minST, we focus on micro- and nano-system technology. The purpose is to educate and increase companies’ competence about the new technology and the possibilities it gives for increasing profitability and creating new and better products. At the same time, we also want to develop the efficiency in the cooperation between SMEs and institute/university. We are responsible for the southwest part of Sweden, and, in this region, we have visited more than 260 SMEs, conducted over 60 seminars, and led over 30 competence projects. Read more about minST at www.minst.nu.
Industriell Dynamik is a well-establish network in the Västra Götaland region that provides technology support for SMEs. Companies within the region will get an easier way to access new knowledge for their development. Within Industriell Dynamik, they are offered unbiased discussions with experts. Since 2008, we have been participating as one of the experts within Industriell Dynamik. The aim is to facilitate growth and renewal by efficient use of new technology and more and easier contacts between SMEs and experts. The local government in Västra Götaland has allocated funds in order for 12 organizations (research institute, universities and industrial development centers) in the region to better offer this service to SMEs. In total, more than 1200 companies have been contacted as a result of Industriell Dynamik! Read more about Industriell Dynamik at www.industrielldynamik.se.