Actions transverses

Formation, actions PME et collectives

SME actions

Marine advantage for SMEs in PACA
The Marine Competitivity Centre is pursuing global action aimed at enhancing the innovative potential amongst SMEs of the PACA region marine sector, being a very efficient driving force in the promotion of their projects and facilitating the sharing and exchange of information.

Goals
Means

Optimize exchanges

By improving exchanges between companies, the PACA Marine Competitivity Centre aims at the optimization of individual and collective approaches.

The PACA Marine Competitivity Centre undertook various actions in order to optimize relations amongst its business affiliates, especially SMEs including steps to:

develop the mutual knowledge of companies within the Marine Centre
improve internal and external networking
foster mutual trust amongst companies, SMEs and major groups
gain a better grasp of market needs to best target actions
increase SMEs awareness of the 7^th Framework Programme for Research and Development (PCRD) in order to better respond to invitations to tender for European projects
exchange best practices, especially with other regional clusters
keep SMEs well-informed, provide them with relevant performance indicators, maintain an open dialogue concerning their expectations, goals, difficulties and forthcoming actions.

The PACA Marine Competitivity Centre’s commitment towards its business members was formalised through the conclusion of the SME pact signed in April 2007. Initiated by the Richelieu Committee and OSEO, the SME pact rallies together more than one thousand innovative PMEs in France and about thirty key accounts, which consolidate and optimize mutually beneficial relations.

Maintaining global action

The Marine Competitivity Centre seeks to ensure SMEs optimal benefits from their exchanges by carrying out well-targeted, ongoing action.

Not only does the PACA Marine Competitivity Centre support PMEs on an ongoing basis, but with very diversified offer:

Establishment of an internal database and a human resource skills directory
Organisation of an annual «SME Forum »
Organisation of the ANRT (National Association for Technical Research) training programmes: Sessions on key points for collaborative research projects, individual talks on developing competences, MAPO (programme for fighting marine pollutions) information and support workshops on funding opportunities for R&D projects in the framework of the 7^th Framework Programme for Research and Development (PCRD)
Creation of a virtual exchange area (blog, intranet…)
Establishment of a «good conduct» code for members and notion of a single Marine Competitivity Centre budget.
Confidentiality agreement between natural persons and legal entities
Invitations of end users to attend working groups
Start-up funds