Under the title “Competitiveness Factors for Successful Internationalization of SMEs”, the Madrid Science Park has organized a session on competitiveness and internationalization of companies.
For an innovative SME, the path to internationalization is a complex and costly process, whose success requires a solid component of competitiveness and extensive knowledge of new markets. However, part of the success in this internationalization process is also based on complementary issues much less known by companies, such as corporate diplomacy, lobbying, reputational due diligence, cybersecurity, and legal compliance, despite being widely used by large corporations.
The session, which featured a panel of experts from the International Institute of Corporate Diplomacy (IIDC), Auren, K2 Intelligence, InNormadrid, and the madri+d Knowledge Foundation, addressed the key aspects of these facets that SMEs should know to be more competitive.
Additionally, the event dedicated two sections to the European environment, in which attendees learned about both the services for SMEs offered by the Enterprise Europe Network, the largest support network for companies with an internationalization vocation, and the Investment Plan for Europe (Juncker Plan), through the European Commission Representation in Spain.
As stated by Alejandro Arranz, director of the Madrid Science Park “We have designed this event to offer SMEs the keys to become more competitive and achieve successful internationalization. Our Park is also an active member of the Enterprise Europe Network, which o ffers SMEs a series of free information and advisory services on regulations, policies, and business opportunities in European markets, which in summary are access to European R&D funding programs (Horizon 2020, COSME), industrial property protection strategies, assistance in technology transfer processes, search for partners for international business projects, strengthening SME innovation management (Enhance Innovation Management) and support for companies benefiting from the SME instrument (Key Account Management).
The opportunity to have both the European Commission Representation in Spain and the madri+d Knowledge Foundation, the entity that coordinates the activities of the Enterprise Europe Network in the Madrid region, at this event has allowed us to give greater visibility to the work that both entities develop for SMEs and other R actors in the European context.
