STIM: networking technology transfer centres in Poland

Poland
SYNTHESIS
STIM (Polish Network of Technology Transfer and Innovation Support for SMEs) was a
network of technology transfer projects created to improve accessibility and quality of
technology transfer services offered to Polish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The projects were co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Sectoral Operational Programme Growth of Enterprise Competitiveness for the period
2004-2006. Although the projects were focused on developing and testing tools and knowhow for technology transfer services, they have also achieved significant results in terms of
actual service delivery. In concrete terms, the networks centres have advised 1,804
companies, undertaken 76 technology audits and prepared almost 200 opinions on
innovativeness of technology required for obtaining technology credits1. The network's
activities have already led to 10 successful technology transfers.
The purpose of the initiative was to strengthen the potential of existing technology transfer
centres through hiring and training new staff and through collaborative work on developing
and testing new services. The network attempted to fill a gap in the supply of business
advisory services in the field of technology transfer targeted at SMEs and research and
development institutes looking for partners in Poland. The work of the STIM partners has
benefited from the methods and experience of the European Union's Innovation Relay
Centres (IRC) network2, since the partners are also members of the IRC consortia.
Nonetheless, the projects results went beyond the scope of the IRC service provision.
The main activities of the STIM projects consisted of developing guidelines and manuals
as well as testing concrete methods for technology transfer and innovation support services
aimed at the domestic SMEs. In the framework of the projects the participating technology
centres hired and trained new consultants who tested the new services directly with SMEs
and contributed to the central on-line database containing technology offers and requests
from different regions in Poland. Activities included also organisation of 32 thematic
workshops and conferences addressed primarily to SMEs.
The main result of the projects was setting up a national network of regional centres
dealing with technology transfer and innovation support. Implementing tasks in a
collaborative manner contributed to the higher quality of developed and tested tools and
services. The network created common reporting templates, guidelines and a manual for
technology transfer staff (the Technology Audit Manual). The tools and the supporting
material are practically oriented and business friendly, and all materials have been
produced in Polish. The network developed a joint database with technology offers and
requests. At the end of the project in mid-2007 the database comprised 235 technology
offers and requests from Polish SMEs and research centres.
1

Technology credit was one of the measures introduced by Act on Some Forms of Support for Innovation
Activities (29 July 2005). The Polish government aimed to stimulate the uptake of technologies by companies
by means of credits for purchase of new technologies (i.e. used for not longer than five years worldwide).
This instrument also gave an opportunity to SMEs to reduce the credit should the evidence of sales resulting
from the acquisition of the new technology was presented.
2
http://www.innovationrelay.net/
1

Another key aspect of the project was that it offered a unique opportunity to raise the
professional qualifications of staff employed at the technology transfer centres. The
complexity and specific context of technology brokering and transfer requires that
consultants gain experience in direct contacts with SMEs. The STIM made it possible to
train the newly recruited staff.
Support from the public sector, including the ERDF was key in developing such a project
as specialised technology and innovation support services in Poland remain
underdeveloped and as the commercial interest in delivering similar services to SMEs is
relatively low. The centres involved in the STIM are currently planning to follow up on
these activities through a new application to the ERDF Operational Programmes for the
period 2007-2013.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Country:
Region:
Project title:

Poland
multiregional initiative
Member of the Polish Network of Technology Transfer and
Innovation Support for SMEs - STIM

Key words:

business advisory services, transfer of technology

Duration of project: 1 March 2005 28 February 2007 (extension to 30 April 2007)

Funding:

Total budget
ERDF contribution
National budget
STIM centres own contribution

ERDF Objective:

832,496
624,372
83,250
124,874

Objective 1

1.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The overall strategic objective of the STIM network was to improve access to and quality
of technology and knowledge transfer related advisory services offered to Polish small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by technology transfer centres. It did not focus on any
predefined technology fields. The purpose of the project was to strengthen the potential of
existing centres through hiring and training staff, developing and testing new services as
well as creating a national network of technology transfer experts. The STIM was designed
to prepare the participating technology transfer centres to be effective members of the
National Innovation Network (Krajowa Siec Innowacji KSI) comprising the centres
delivering innovation-related advisory services and approved by the Polish Agency for
Entrepreneurship Development (Polska Agencja Rozwoju Przedsiebiorczosci PARP).
Formally, the network was a collaborative action bringing together nine administratively
separate regional projects. After approval of the projects by the Managing Authority
(PARP), the regional centres concluded a consortium agreement listing the tasks and
responsibilities of the network members. All the STIM projects were co-funded by the
Sectoral Operational Programme Growth of Enterprise Competitiveness for the period
2004-2006 under action 1.1.2 Support for development of business advisory organisations
and business advisory networks.
The main activities of the projects consisted in developing and testing guidelines and
concrete tools for technology transfer and innovation support services aimed at SMEs.
More specifically, the main types of activity included:
-

creating guidelines, manuals and common standards for the technology transfer
services;
testing and delivering tools for the specialised technology related services:
- request for technology and technology offer;
- company profile and technology audit;
- opinion on innovativeness of technology;
- partner search.
employment and training of technology transfer experts;
organisation of workshops and conferences on specific themes targeted to SMEs and
relevant research organisations;
preparing publications on technology transfer, intellectual property rights (IPR) and
innovation finance issues;
developing on-line database containing information on services offered by the STIM
centres and technology requests and offers from SMEs and research and
development institutions.

Most of the services are the standard services delivered by technology transfer
intermediaries. Technology offers include description of technology with relevant contact
information whereas technology requests coming from the companies describe the
demanded technological solution, including its technical specifications. Technological
audits gathers information on the company and its environment, with a specific focus on
information relevant for mapping its technological potential and needs.

The idea of offering opinions on innovativeness of technology was linked to the

requirements regarding applications for the technology credit scheme. The document
assesses innovativeness of the technology to be purchased thanks to support from the
credit. The opinions were prepared by independent experts with use the newest accessible
information on the technology applications. The key criterion of innovativeness was age of
the technology, more specifically the technology in question should not be in use for more
than five years worldwide before being purchased by a Polish company.
The work of STIM has benefited considerably from the experience of the Innovation Relay
Centres (IRC) network, co-funded under the European Commission's Innovation
Programme and now its Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP). Nonetheless,
the results went beyond the scope of the IRC services, especially as concerns involving
SMEs in service testing or developing basic technology transfer services such as
technology requests and proposals.
The direct beneficiaries were nine (at a later stage, eight) existing centres of technology
transfer and innovation support from Wroclaw (Lower Silesia region), Olsztyn
(Warminsko-Mazurskie), Poznan (Wielkopolska), Rzeszow (Podkarpackie), Katowice
(Silesia) and Warsaw (Mazovia).
The final beneficiaries of the network activities were SMEs and other organisations
proposing or requesting new technologies. According the original proposal, the STIMs
services could be of relevance for some 210,000 SMEs in Poland, essentially a potential
target group for the services to be developed. In reality, direct contact with SMEs was
much less due to the limited budget and pilot character of the project (testing the services).
The main result of the projects was setting up a national network of regional centres
dealing with technology transfer and innovation support. The project developed and tested
a set of templates, guidelines and manuals for consultants involved in delivering
technology transfer and innovation support services in the various regions. Working out a
common approach on guidelines and delivering some key technology transfer services,
especially technology offers and requests, is considered an important innovative
achievement of the project.
Although the project was focused on developing and testing the services, it has showed
significant results in terms of actual service delivery. These practical activities brought
about another important result that is they significantly contributed to raising professional
qualifications of the personnel of the STIM centres.
In concrete terms, the results and so far outcomes can be summarised as follows:
-

number of consulted companies 1,804;

hours spent on individual consultations 13,295;
number of technology offers in the on-line database 185;
number of technology requests in the on-line database 50;
number of technological audits 76;
number of opinions on innovativeness of technology 197;
number of technology transfers 10.

The highest number of technology offers and requests came for centres in Poznan,
Rzeszow, Wroclaw and Warsaw. The project developed a website and an on-line database
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in Polish containing technology offers and requests from SMEs and research and
development institutions (www.stim.org.pl). Interestingly the website functions as a portal
comprising nine local websites belonging to each STIM partner. The website registered on
average 2,105 visits every month during the period of the project.
As the technology transfer centres in Poland are not specialised to deliver services to
companies from specific sectors, the offer was opened to all SMEs interested in technology
transfer. Practical experience of one of the STIM centres (University Technology Transfer
Centre at the Warsaw University) was that the most often consulted companies came from
ICT, informatics and chemical sectors. The centre delivered services mostly to micro (less
then nine employees) and small companies (around 20 employees) as well as, in several
cases, to medium enterprises (with around 200 employees).
The activity of the project led to 10 technology transfers. One of the examples was
implementation of the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and RFID (Radio
Frequency Identification) systems in a courier company. The company first contacted
STIM staff at the University Technology Transfer Centre (Warsaw University) to receive
general information about their offer as well as on possibilities of obtaining funds from the
ERDF. Following this exchange the company identified a concrete technology need and
requested an opinion on innovativeness of the technology, which allowed them to receive
the needed funds to transfer the new technology.
The STIM centres organised 32 thematic regional conferences and seminars for SMEs,
which attracted the attention of local and regional media and brought visibility to the
activities of the network and its members. The STIM centres prepared and disseminated a
series of good quality practical booklets on e.g. intellectual property rights, SMEs and
technology transfer, and SMEs and innovation finance.
An important expected outcome of the STIM project is to sustain further collaboration
between the regional technology transfer centres, ensure better quality of technology
transfer services for SMEs and to develop of an integrated nation wide database with
technology transfer related information. In the longer term, this should improve the
technology brokering and transfer system in Poland leading to well targeted, high quality
services offered to SMEs.
The projects activities would not have had a chance to be developed at that time and in
such a scope without support from the public sector, including the ERDF. Specialised
technology and innovation support services in Poland remain underdeveloped. The
commercial interest in delivering similar services to SMEs is relatively low. This system
deficiency is one of the important barriers for both SMEs and research institutes willing to
collaborate. The intervention of public sector is therefore justified. This conclusion was
confirmed by an evaluation of the Operational Programme Growth of Enterprise
Competitiveness, which underlined the need for longer-term public support to develop
innovation related services offered by intermediaries.3

WYG International, Ocena uzupelniajaca, Instytucje otoczenia biznesu wspierane w ramach Sektorowego
Programu Operacyjnego Wzrost Konkurencyjnoci Przedsibiorstw, lata 2004-2006: okrelenie wpywu
programu na ofert usugow oraz poziom jakoci wiadczonych usug, Warsaw 2007
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2.

POLITICAL AND STRATEGIC CONTEXT

Weak R&D performance of SMEs, underdeveloped offer from research institutes for
business sector and poor collaboration between the science and business are among the
most fundamental weaknesses of the Polish innovation system. In recent years, the public
sector has responded to these problems by introducing numerous measures offering
incentives to SMEs to undertake more innovation activities both in-house and through
contract research. One of the directions of policy action in this context is to improve the
science and technology intermediation system through the support offered to the
institutions assisting technology transfer and innovation support services.
In the mid-1990s, the Polish Foundation of SME Promotion and Development (Polska
Fundacja Promocji i Rozwoju Malych i Srednich Przedsiebiorstw, now the Polish Agency
of Enterprise Development - PARP) initiated a National System of Services (Krajowy
System Uslug - KSU) with a mission to increase competitiveness of Polish SMEs. The
system, coordinated by the agency, groups a number of non-profit organisations delivering
business and financial services to SMEs. In order to become a member an organisation
needs to fulfil formal requirements specified by the Ministry of Economy (e.g. sufficient
technological capacity, staff qualifications, guarantee of quality of service). In 2002, the
Polish Agency of Enterprise Development initiated a working group on the creation of the
National Innovation Network (Krajowa Siec Innowacji - KSI) within the National System
of Services. The aim of this network was to focus on those members of the National
System of Services who specialised in delivering innovation related services. Interestingly,
the initiators of STIM considered it to be a preparatory exercise for organisations wishing
to become part of the National Innovation Network.
One of the longest standing initiatives targeting technology transfer is the European IRC
network, which has been present in Poland since 2000. The organisations setting up STIM
centres are also members of different IRC consortia across Poland. The perception of the
centres was that there was a gap in the supply of services to Polish SMEs. The IRC focuses
on international technology transfer whereas there was also a need for services for SMEs
wishing to collaborate with other companies or research institutes in Poland.
Public support for technology transfer processes in Poland was provided by the ERDF in
the framework of the Sectoral Operational Programme Growth of enterprise
competitiveness for the year 2004-2006. The implementing agency of the relevant action
(PARP) approved a number of intermediation projects involving SMEs, different types of
intermediaries and business advisory organisations as well as research institutes, amongst
the projects selected was STIM.

3.

IMPLEMENTATION

3.1. Project design and planning

The project was initiated by the Wroclaw Centre of Technology Transfer (Wroclawskie
Centrum Transferu Technologii), which contacted other technology transfer centres in
Poland and proposed to create a national technology transfer network. The initial idea was
to build on experience of IRCs and adapt it to the Polish context. The SMEs needs analysis
was based on the results of the research undertaken for the European IRC network in 2002-

2003 as well as on other available reports on SMEs and innovation. Above all, the
inspiration came from the day-to-day experience of dealing with SMEs.
The partners submitted separate, but nearly identical, proposals highlighting the network
character of the projects. This approach was discussed with the Polish Agency of
Enterprise Development (PARP) by the initiator of the network. The PARP approved the
projects arguing that the idea of STIM could prove to be an interesting attempt to work out
a shared approach to technology transfer services in the country as well as a way to create
synergies between the work undertaken within the National Innovation Network and IRCs.
The evaluation aspect was taken on board from the beginning. The output and results
indicators were defined in the project proposals.
3.2. Management, monitoring and evaluation system
The network was run by nine, and at later stage eight, existing technology transfer
organisations implementing administratively separate, but functionally integrated, STIM
projects. After their approval, all the STIM projects signed a consortium agreement to
coordinate their actions and distribute various network level tasks among its members. The
consortium established a steering committee responsible for approving detailed
specifications of the individual tasks of the network members as well as supervising public
procurement processes. The meetings of the committee were called by the consortium
leader (the Wroclaw Technology Transfer Centre) and took place four times per year. The
leader was responsible for monitoring the implementation of tasks and coordinating the
activities of the steering committee.
The projects were implemented in two phases:
-

phase one (first three months) was to prepare an implementation plan of the project
and included recruiting the consultants, preparing the draft procedures and manuals,
etc.;
the second phase focused on developing and delivering services to the SMEs (using
materials developed in the introductory phase), populating of the database with
relevant information, organising events and exchanging of experience between
different centres.

Each STIM centre employed two full time consultants for the whole durations of the
projects. Each had to submit annual reports to PARP on progress in attaining the goals.
3.3. Governance: partnership and leadership
The partners belong to a relatively small community of technology transfer and innovation
support centres in Poland and knew each other from past contacts, most notably from the
IRC activities. The network was composed mostly of the technology transfer units of
universities and technical universities as well as specialised regional agencies.
STIM partners included the following organisations:
Wroclaw Technology Transfer Centre, Wroclaw Technical University (Wrocawskie
Centrum Transferu Technologii - WCTT);
University Technology Transfer Centre, Warsaw University (Uniwersytecki Orodek
Transferu Technologii - UOTT);
Poznan Science and Technology Park (Poznaski Park Naukowo-Technologiczny PPNT);
7

Technology Transfer Centre, Krakow Technical University (Centrum Transferu

Technologii - CTT);
Eastern Technology Transfer Centre, Bialystok University (Wschodni Orodek
Transferu Technologii - WOTT);
University of Warmia and Mazury (Uniwersytet Warmisko-Mazurski - UWM);
Rzeszow Regional Development Agency (Rzeszowska Agencja Rozwoju
Regionalnego - RARR);
Agency of Enterprise Transformation of Upper Silesia (Grnolska Agencja
Przeksztace Przedsiebiorstw - GAPP);
Centre of Information Processing (Orodek Przetwarzania Informacji - OPI),
Warsaw. 4

From the beginning the leadership of STIM was assumed by the Wroclaw Centre of
Technology Transfer, which came up with the idea of the project and prepared the general
application form later adapted by all projects. After approval of the projects, Wroclaw was
formally designated as the leader in the consortium agreement. It should be emphasised,
however, that even if the Wroclaw centre had a lead it was each individual project that was
responsible and accountable for its actions to the Polish Agency for Entrepreneurship
Development (PARP).
The specific roles of partners as regards the network level tasks were assigned and
formally confirmed in the text of consortium agreement:
the Rzeszow Agency of Regional Development was responsible for designing and
implementing the network knowledge database and website;
the Technology Transfer Centre of Warsaw University prepared materials on IPR
and innovation finance;
the Technology Transfer Centre of Krakow Technical University delivered expert
opinions on procedures, manuals and code of conduct for STIM consultants;
the Agency of Enterprise Transformation of Upper Silesia was in charge of preparing
promotional materials and dissemination activities.
3.4. Innovative elements and novel approaches to implementation
The projects were pilot exercises and focused mainly on testing new tools applied to
technology transfer and innovation services. One of the innovative elements of
implementation of such project was the fact that the tools were tested in the direct contact
with potentially innovative SMEs, which made it simpler to learn about their specific needs
and expectations. Involving companies in the development phase of service in such a way
was novel in the Polish context.
3.5. Key implementation obstacles and problem-solving practices
Networking administratively separate projects
Despite the clearly expressed need for network type of projects in the text of the Sectoral
Operation Programme (the relevant action refers to business advisory networks), the
Polish legislation did not allow for applying for Structural Fund support as a consortium at
the time of project submission.

OPI did not implement the project and withdrew from the network.
8

The partners decided to overcome this problem by applying for separate projects with
nearly the same applications and underlining that the projects in order to have a character
of a network need to be implemented in close collaboration. The network was subsequently
formalised by the consortium agreement concluded by all the STIM centres following the
approval of the projects. Building a network project despite the formal barriers required
frequent contacts prior to submitting the applications between the partners as well as
between the partners and the PARP. One of the practical challenges associated with that
situation was a problem of timing and coordination of deliverables as formally independent
projects de facto depended on others.
Testing versus delivering the service
One of the most important difficulties was related to interpreting the logic of public
support under the action 1.1.2. Support for development of business advisory
organisations and business advisory networks. The PARP insisted that the action was
devoted to developing and testing, but not to delivering, the advisory services to the SMEs.
After approval of the projects, discussions took place between the STIM partners and the
PARP on how to interpret the difference between testing and actual service delivery. The
topic was brought up by the PARP due to the risk of breaching State Aid rules.
The STIM partners argued that the such activities could not be seen as breaching State Aid
rules and that similar services had been delivered to Polish SMEs by IRCs since 2000. In
the end it was agreed that since the SMEs using STIM were taking part in the development
phase of the service and were to provide feedback on the tools used, these services would
not be considered fully-fledged commercial services. Therefore, they would be regarded as
a test service. In reality the situation was less clear, as some of the services delivered by
STIM had a real market value and were used by the companies to apply for public grants
or credits (i.e. an opinion on innovativeness of technology was used for applications for
technology credits as well as for new investments under action 2.2.1 of the OP Growth of
Enterprise Competitiveness).
Raising awareness of the final beneficiary
Many enterprises targeted by the action did not understand the specific technology and
innovation oriented character of the services to be delivered by the network, e.g. almost
half of companies who contacted the Warsaw University Technology Transfer Centre
about the STIM project expected some guidance on how to successfully apply for ERDF
projects. STIM centres made a significant effort in raising awareness of the final
beneficiary as regards the specific nature of the tested services on offer.
Setting targets for performance indicators
Initially the targets for selected performance indicators were fixed on the same level for all
the STIM projects in different regions, which led to difficulties in reaching the initially
planned goals by some centres. Moreover, the proposals were prepared giving more
emphasis to service delivery than merely testing the services. The lesson learned in this
context is to adapt selection of indicators and target to the regional context. In the case of
network project, the targets should be differentiated according to the specific situation in
different regions where network activities and services are implemented.

Public tender requirements

Some tasks of STIM had to be sub-contracted. STIM partners pointed out that, especially
at the beginning, the public tender procedures proved extremely time consuming and took
a significant share of time of consultants. Some partners used the support of the legal
departments of their institutions to implement the tenders.

4.

INNOVATION RESULTS

Setting up national network

Setting up a national network of technology transfer with the aim of testing new services
was novel and filled a gap in service supply identified by partners. Implementing selected
tasks in a collaborative manner allowed to share experience and expertise between
different technology transfer centres. This contributed to a higher quality of developed
tools and methods.
Developing a shared approach to service delivery guidelines
The work in the framework of STIM contributed to developing a shared approach to the
tools and delivery guidelines related to technology transfer related services. In concrete
terms, the network developed common templates, guidelines, a technology audit manual;
as well as the code of conduct applied to the consultants working at the technology transfer
centres. The tools and the supporting material are practical, prepared in Polish and, as one
of respondents underlined, simply easier to use than templates applied by the IRC network.
The work of STIM on developing a shared approach to tools and methods coincided with
similar discussions held within the National Innovation Network. As one of the
respondents argued those discussions undoubtedly had some influence on the standard
agreed by the network as regards procedures and forms for technology requests and
technology offers.
Raising professional qualifications of technology transfer centres
Another important result was raising professional qualifications of the consultants
responsible for testing and delivering the services at the STIM centres. It is worth
underlining that the consultants responsible for developing the templates tested it in direct
contact with SMEs. Importantly, the partners committed themselves to keep the
consultants hired for the STIM project for at least five years following the conclusion of
the project.
Creating a shared database and website
The STIM consortium created a joint database with technology offers and requests
addressed to SMEs and research institutes in Poland. The ambition was to make this
database the main repository of technology transfer information in the country integrating
information collected in the framework of STIM but also IRCs and the National Innovation
Network (KSI). This database could be possibly adopted by the KSI at a later stage.
At the moment, however, it is unclear whether the database will be used within the
National Innovation Network, which meanwhile started its own on-line technology offer

10

and technology request database (hosted by PARP). Unfortunately, the work on populating
the database was halted after the end of the project implementation. At the end of 2007,
neither the STIM nor the PARP-hosted database could be considered as a fully developed
and timely source of information.

5.

SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSFERABILITY

5.1. Sustainability
The network is dependent on public funds and its formal activities will not continue
without public assistance. The centres consider commercialisation of some of the services,
but only in a longer term.
The sustainability of the results is clearer on the level of individual centres. Probably the
most important and clear value added was hiring, training and retaining of the new staff.
Several centres further developed activities started in the framework of the STIM using
funds from the Integrated Programme of Regional Development 2004-2006 under action
2.6 (e.g. Silesia, Wielkopolska, Wroclaw). Following their involvement in the network,
four of the regional STIM centres are now accredited by the National Innovation Network.
There is a possibility to continue with the STIM activities on a larger network scale using
support from the new Operational Programmes 2007-2013, most notably from the
Operational Programmes Innovative Economy (priority Innovation Diffusion), Human
Capital (priority Higher Education and Science addressing competences needed for
science-industry collaboration) as well as from the sixteen new regional operational
programmes.
5.2. Transferability
Building a national network of regional technology transfer centres with a view of sharing
experience and training their staff is an interesting exercise to be explored by other
countries, most notably by the regions in the other new Member States. The approach to
build such network on existing centres, including IRCs, is recommendable.
It is of utmost importance, however, that prior to such an initiative a preparatory study on
the science and technology intermediation system is conducted with an aim of analysing
the technological profiles and research and development needs of SMEs and, on the other
hand, the profiles and potential offer of the research base.

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6.

CONCLUSIONS: MAIN SUCCESS FACTORS

Collaboration, collective learning and shared approach

The main success factor was the ability to form a partnership and develop effective
collaboration between the technology transfer centres and experts across Poland.
Networking, collaboration and sharing experience were all fundamental for building a
shared approach to the guidelines and methods, which subsequently were to be used by the
technology transfer community. An important lessons learned from the point of view of the
implementing agency (the Polish Agency for Entrepreneurship Development) was that
such a close cooperation was possible between institutions, which in many respects could
be also regarded as competitors.
Focus on professional development and training
The key benefit from the projects was that it offered a unique opportunity to raise
professional qualifications of the staff employed at the technology transfer centres. The
complexity and specific context of science and technology intermediation require that
consultants are experienced in direct contacts with SMEs. STIM made it possible to hire
and train the newly recruited staff. One of the lessons learned in this context is, however,
that there is a need to raise initial requirements for the newly hired consultants. It was
emphasised that the new staff should have not only relevant education but also practical
experience in working with industry gained prior to joining the technology transfer centre.
Involving SMEs in service development and testing phase
One of the interesting approaches adopted in the project was to involve the final
beneficiary in the development phase of the service. SMEs receiving the tested service
were requested to provide feedback on the quality of service itself, tools used, time spent
etc. The close collaboration with enterprises proved beneficial for both sides despite the
fact that not all SMEs immediately understood the logic of the exercise.

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CONTACT DETAILS
Contact person
Name:
Position:
Organisation:

Grzegorz Gromada
Networks Leader
Wroclaw Centre for Technology Transfer
Wroclaw Technical University

Address:
Correspondence address:

ul. Smoluchowskiego 48, 50-372 Wrocaw

Wybrzee Wyspiaskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocaw

Telephone:

+48 71 320 41 96

Email:

g.gromada@wctt.pl

Project website:

http://www.stim.org.pl/

The information contained in this case study is up to date as of: December 2007
This case study has been prepared by Michal Miedzinski in the framework of a study carried out by
Technopolis Group on behalf of the European Commission. The contents and views expressed in this case
study are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the European
Commission.

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