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Digital platform innovation in European SMEs. An analysis of SME Instrument Business Proposals and Case Studies

Author

Listed:
  • Chiara Eleonora De Marco

    (Haas School of Business, Garwood Centre for Corporate Innovation, UC Berkeley, CA-US
    Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa)

  • Alberto Di Minin

    (Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa)

  • Cristina Marullo

    (Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa)

  • Daniel Nepelski

    (European Commission - JRC)

Abstract

The study explores how European SMEs applying to the SME Instrument (SMEi) funding scheme under Horizon 2020 innovate use the digital platform business model. The study demonstrates a widespread awareness of the digital platform concept as a tool to be applied to gain momentum and growth, taking advantage of the digital affordances. The main challenges to scale-up include how to manage external communities and orchestrate them in order to build innovation ecosystems; how to find a profitable business model; and secure funding for growth. Firms located in peripheral regions face additional difficulties in finding complementary resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Chiara Eleonora De Marco & Alberto Di Minin & Cristina Marullo & Daniel Nepelski, 2019. "Digital platform innovation in European SMEs. An analysis of SME Instrument Business Proposals and Case Studies," JRC Research Reports JRC115240, Joint Research Centre.
    • Handle: RePEc:ipt:iptwpa:jrc115240
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    File URL: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC115240
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. V. I. Blanutsa, 2022. "Geographic Research of the Platform Economy: Existing and Potential Approaches," Regional Research of Russia, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 133-142, June.
    2. Bartczak Krzysztof, 2021. "The Use of Digital Technology Platforms in the Context of Cybersecurity in the Industrial Sector," Foundations of Management, Sciendo, vol. 13(1), pages 117-130, January.
    3. Johan Miorner & Gabriel Rissola & Jens Sorvik & Joakim Wernberg, 2019. "Putting Digital Innovation Hubs into Regional Context," JRC Research Reports JRC117910, Joint Research Centre.
    4. Daniel Nepelski, 2020. "Market Creating Innovations in the EU Framework Programme. Methodology behind the Innovation Radar’s Market Creation Potential Indicator," JRC Research Reports JRC121066, Joint Research Centre.
    5. Krzysztof Bartczak & Stanisław Łobejko, 2022. "The Implementation Environment for a Digital Technology Platform of Renewable Energy Sources," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-16, August.
    6. Bustillo, René, 2021. "Analysis of competition policies in five countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and the post-pandemic recovery period," Documentos de Proyectos 46738, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    7. DE MASSIS Alfredo & DI MININ Alberto & MARULLO Cristina & ROVELLI Paola & TENSEN Rik & CARBONE Antonio & CRUPI Antonio, 2020. "How the "EU Innovation Champions" successfully absorbed and reacted to the shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," JRC Working Papers on Corporate R&D and Innovation 2020-06, Joint Research Centre.
    8. Igor Calzada, 2020. "Platform and Data Co-Operatives amidst European Pandemic Citizenship," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-22, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    digital platform; innovation; SME; H2020; SME Instrument; Europe;
    All these keywords.

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