Click here to browse website of the China IPR SME Helpdesk.

COUNTRY

COSME countries.

ORGANIZATION IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT

Development Solutions, European Chamber of Commerce in China and University of Alicante.

START & END DATE OF THE PROJECT

2008 – ongoing. 

WHO FUNDS THE INITIATIVE

European Commission EASME/COSME.

TARGET GROUP

Of the estimated 21 million SMEs in Europe, approximately 30% have international business activities, and 10% of these SMEs do business with or are affected by business with China, meaning that the entire SME target audience of the China HD is an estimated 630,000 companies. This is a significant number which is growing annually, reflecting SME internationalization and global value chain integration. It is also noteworthy that the Chinese government is now introducing policies which encourage its SMEs to invest overseas, with Europe being a key destination. Since its launch in 2008 the number of EU SMEs using the China HD has increased year-on-year, reaching an estimated 200,000 individual users to date. Despite the progress made, this number represents only a minority of the total target audience, with many SMEs not yet being familiar with the China HD services.

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The initiative aims at:

• Supporting European companies in their internationalisation strategies towards China.
• Raising awareness of the importance of IP as a business asset and increasing the overall participation of European companies within the Chinese market.

METHODOLOGY

The Helpdesk provides strategic information and advice to European SMEs and intermediaries concerning the following key areas:

• Helpdesk Enquiry Service – confidential advice: individual SMEs and SME intermediaries can submit IPR related enquiries directly to the Helpdesk via phone, e-mail or in person, getting access to a panel of experts to receive free and confidential first – line advice within three business days.
• Materials – country factsheets, industry and business: focused guides and training materials addressing IPR issues in China. The Helpdesk can also provide intermediaries with articles about IPR in line with the geographical scope of the project: China IPR SME Helpdesk – Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. These articles are written by IP experts and can be used to supplement newsletter content or within other relevant publications.
• Online Services: the multi – lingual online portal provides easy access for all EU SMEs to find information regarding the services of the Helpdesk, including guides, E-learning modules, event information and webinar recordings. The live chat featured on the online portal enables visitors to pose their IP queries to experts in real time. Users can subscribe to the blog Your IP Insider, the project newsletter or follow the Helpdesk on our various social media channels.
• Training: the helpdesk arranges training events and webinars on IPR protection and enforcement in Europe and China, tailored to the needs of SMEs. To accomplish these goals, the Helpdesk cooperates with partner organizations, SME intermediaries, and legal professionals to inform EU SMEs regarding strategy and management of intellectual property rights in China.

Among the services which have been recently launched, the Helpdesk now features an innovative and interactive tool to increase familiarity of EU SMEs with IP issues in the Chinese market: the Serious Game, an online competition that guides participants through common business scenarios linked to IP challenges, which provides an immersive context for situational learning. This new business tool allows participants to increase their knowledge and awareness about managing intellectual property when entering the Chinese market.

The Game begins with the SME in its office in Europe, before the move into China. The SME is allocated an initial budget of 300k that will be used to create products, attract clients, create partnerships with other companies to manufacture and distribute products, protect the business by registering IP and much more.

Following a first stage of creation of the product that can belong to the technology, clothing, chemicals, toys, software and furniture fields, the player has to face diverse choices when entering the Chinese market.

IP registration: following the design of the product the player has to decide whether to register certain features of the products or not.

Trade fair: the player can choose to attend a trade fair, where there is the potential to meet partners and gain visibility for your product.

Office set-up: the player can set up an office in China, hire staff and decide whether to include confidentiality clauses with employees, introduce trade secret protection measures and non-compete clauses for staff.

Enforcement: this is an ongoing process throughout the game. Pop-ups alert the player to infringements found in the market. Each time the SME has a choice: investigate and collect evidence, send cease and desist letter, legal action or simply ignore. For legal action, there are three choices: administrative action, judicial and inform customs.
It is possible to hire a lawyer and detective to help register IP and discover and battle infringements.

Partnerships are also given importance during the game. A diversity of channels have been set to meet potential partners every now and then in order to make sure they are given due attention, improve the relationships with them and reduce the likelihood of infringements.

A pop-up menu is always available to ask for help or for more information during the game.

Each service has a price and depending on the decisions the player will take during the game, the initial allocated budget will decrease or increase by generating revenues.

The game lasts 30-40 minutes. Success is measured on final profits, which are directly impacted by how effectively the player protected his/her ideas and products in game. The game may also end with bankruptcy if infringements are allowed to run rampant.

Back in January 2019 the China IPR SME Helpdesk organized a live session for the Serious Game with TERA Tehnopolis (a joint-venture of the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, the City of Osijek and the Osijek-Baranja County aimed at the development of a knowledge-based economy) in Croatia. With over 20 participants (start-ups, students and faculty staff), the session was geared towards gaining familiarity with IP matters in China in an interactive way. Before the game, Helpdesk Staff informed participants about the purpose and services of the Helpdesk, and after completion of the game the Helpdesk was available to answer any queries of those that played.

To play the Serious Game on your computer click here to download for a Windows OS based system.

Click here for a Mac OS based system.

The China IPR SME Helpdesk Team developed a dedicated training manual with practical tips and suggestions on how to conduct in-house training sessions utilising the Serious Game. Ideal for business associations, HR and training departments as well as start-ups and business students. The manual is available for download at this link:

China IPR SME Helpdesk Serious Game Training Manual.

RESULTS ACHIEVED

In 2017 the Helpdesk reached 1,886 SME participants in 49 events among which 29 training events in EU and 20 in China. Since the start of the current phase in September 2018 until present date the Helpdesk delivered 7 workshops around Europe with more than 150 SMEs. The China Helpdesk staff was present at 5 of the most relevant Trade Fairs and Matchmaking sessions such as EEN Annual Conference, ICT2018 and Trustech participating at over 100 pre-scheduled business-to-business meeting presenting the free services of the project.

KEY CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING THE INITIATIVE AND SOLUTIONS USED TO MITIGATE THEM

Identifying and reaching SMEs can be challenging. The owners and managers of SMEs are generally absorbed with day-to-day business operations and might not even be aware of the IP risks they face, let alone know where to seek IPR advice.
The China IPR SME Helpdesk seeks partnerships and collaboration with local business intermediaries such as clusters, regional development agencies and chambers of commerce to proactively suggest joint training sessions aiming to raise awareness and provide support to as many SMEs as possible across Europe and enlargement countries such as, Turkey, Serbia, Ukraine, Montenegro, Moldavia, etc.

LESSONS LEARNED

The initiative builds on several years of data gathering. There has been a significant improve in the level of understanding regarding the importance of IP, especially among innovative companies across a multitude of areas. The 4th industrial revolution and the widespread use of technology has enhanced the necessity of a strong IP protection and enforcement.

SUSTAINABILITY OF THE INITIATIVE AND POTENTIAL REPLICABILITY

The Helpdesk met a real and urgent need amongst stakeholders for accessible, jargon-free and affordable IPR information with regard to Greater China. In addition, in the delivery of the project the implementing consortium’s innovative methods and problem-solving approach resulted in the project delivering targeted needs-driven services to EU SMEs. Considering the advancement of European SMEs into the global market, the project maintains its relevancy and seeks to improve its operability in future phases.

• raise the awareness of exploitation possibilities;
• evaluate the market potential of the research;
• analyse the innovation degree and maturity of the research;
• examine the adequacy of the idea and the legal protection system;
• set roadmaps for the long-term sustainability of project results;
• develop a coherent business plan;
• effectively present project results and their market potential to possible investors.

COUNTRY

EU member countries and associated (the initiative could be extended to extra EU countries).

ORGANIZATIONS IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT

The initiative is implemented by META Group (INSME Member) and involves a panel of 40 experts.

START & END DATE OF THE PROJECT

2012 – ongoing

WHO FUNDS THE INITIATIVE

The services are provided by META Group and financed by donors or stakeholders involved in the initiative (Universities, Research Centres etc.). The Research Helicopter was also deployed to almost 600 R&D projects through different framework contracts by the European Commission like ESIC, the ‘Common Exploitation Booster – CEB’, and SSERR.

TARGET GROUP

Universities, research centres, public and private institutions such as the EU DG for Research and Innovation, ENEA (the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development), Ministries and Regional Authorities.

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the initiative is:

• to remove the obstacles that prevent research results to reach the market as new products and services;
• to offer support to researchers and help them to exploit and commercialise their research results by transforming them into economic growth and wider benefits to society. 

METHODOLOGY

The Research Helicopter offers tailored support services (advisory, coaching, mentoring), in particular:

• Exploitation strategy seminars to:
  i) raise awareness of exploitation possibilities
  ii) discuss how to meet exploitation opportunities
  iii) analyse potential risks and obstacles associated with exploitation as well as how to address them
  iv) brainstorm on key results
  v) enhance the understanding of the importance of connecting with customers and better communicate project’s results.

• Assistance to the development of a coherent and effective business plan from the drafting phase to possible solutions for financing needs. In the framework of the business plan development project partners can get:
  i) the Lean Canvas for a selection of Key Exploitable Results
  ii) the content for a pitching to potential investors/business partners
  iii) a set of recommendations on the steps to be taken after the end of the European Commission support.

• Help to set roadmaps for the long-term sustainability of project results.
• Support in the different stages of the protection of Intellectual Property Rights.
• Guide to effective pitching that:
  i) has to address challenges and problems, the added value provided
  ii) explain how the novel service/product will mobilize a change
  iii) specify the target group.

• On demand services designed to meet specific needs.

The services can be provided at any time during the project life cycle and assistance can be required even after the project has been closed.

RESULTS ACHIEVED

The Research Helicopter has been tested and implemented in diverse EU projects. The data collected (according to strict confidentiality agreements) show that the initiative had a positive impact.
The application of the Research Helicopter within the Common Exploitation Booster (CEB) provided 193 tailored services to 1872 organisations involved in 236 projects. All participants involved were surveyed and according to the feedback results: 91% were satisfied with experts’ skills and knowledge; 79% gave a positive feedback on the usefulness of findings and recommendations.
The initiative found application also in fet2rin, a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. In that framework the success rate related to the projects’ proof of concept reached the 50% (the average rate ranges from 8% to 12%).

KEY CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING THE INITIATIVE AND SOLUTIONS USED TO MITIGATE THEM

The main challenges identified in the implementation of the initiative are:

• a cultural barrier that prevents researchers from considering other possibilities than research related to the potential follow up of their projects
• an unclear definition of the activities that hinders a coherent use of the funds available.

These challenges have been mitigated by dedicating part of the advisory services to:
i) the importance of exploitation of results and the high potential that services/products have on the market, meaning there is a significant economic return that brings value to the research and can represent a propeller to bring the research to the next step both from a theoretical and practical point of view;
ii) the need for the definition of effective work packages that identify the priorities leading to the exploitation of research results.

LESSONS LEARNED

The initiative shed lights on the need for a change in the researchers’ mindset. Increasing awareness on the fact that the research in a variety of fields has a high potential to the market and could be a driver for an effective growth in R&D&I as well as enhance the chances to take benefit from the opportunities of funding offered by the dedicated EU Framework Programmes.
While tools like webinars could be convenient to reach beneficiaries, it is essential to create opportunities for face-to-face interactions between project partners and experts.

SUSTAINABILITY OF THE INITIATIVE AND POTENTIAL REPLICABILITY

The service demonstrated an high impact in the framework of the CEB and fet2rin projects, as well as from the high numbers of researchers involved so far (i.e. 18.000 in ca. 600 services offered to the EU DG Research and Innovation).
The increasing need for new opportunities to accessing funds and optimizing the results of research make the initiative a useful support for future programmes aiming at bringing more R&D results to use and closer to market.
Given the high relevance of generating impact out of R&D&I similar support services could be adopted in different context/fields using funds for Technology transfer or other funds from national and international donors.