Each year the Network recognises successful companies that have surpassed expectations and seized the unparalleled businesses opportunities in the EU Single Market.
The 2016 Enterprise Europe Network Awards were given across three key categories:
New Partnerships
The award honoured Aquabion GmbH from Germany and Rabmer GreenTech in Austria. The Network facilitated cooperation between the two SMEs. Aquabion GmbH's turnover has since increased by 10-15 % while both businesses have hired new personnel.
New Directions
The award was presented to Germany’s Novihum Technologies. Thanks to the Network, the company was able to access funding from the SME Instrument to develop a production plant and hire 20 new people.
New Horizons
The award honoured Smartive from Spain. The company was also able to access funding from the SME Instrument after guidance from the Network. The funds were used to expand the company's market share which is expected to increase its annual turnover from EUR 500,000 to EUR 5 million in 2019.
The awards ceremony
The awards ceremony was held during the Enterprise Europe Network Annual Conference in Slovakia. It was attended by European Commission officials, businesses, intermediaries, journalists and Enterprise Europe Network members.
Mr Marco Malacarne, Head of Department at the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) said:
"These small businesses are the drivers of sustainable growth in Europe. The Enterprise Europe Network provides the expertise to help them prosper. These awards demonstrate that with the right support it is possible to pursue your ideas and achieve your international business ambitions."
Ms Kristin Schreiber, Director, SME Policy and COSME, DG GROW, European Commission, said:
"The Network is one of the most important programmes that the European Commission has ever conceived to assist companies take advantage of business and innovation opportunities made available by exploiting at the very best the European Single Market."
The jury
Jury members of the awards included:
- Ms Kaja Kallas, Member of the European Parliament
- Ms Kristin Schreiber, Director, SME Policy & COSME, DG GROW, European Commission
- Mr Marco Malacarne, Head of Department at the EASME
- Mr Francesco Guerrera, Associate Editor, Chief Financial Correspondent at Politico EU
- Mr Juraj Vaculik, co-founder and CEO of AeroMobil
The awards nominees
New Partnerships
Winner: Aquabion GmbH Germany and Rabmer GreenTech GmbH, Austria
Network members: Zenit GmbH and Business Upper Austria
Finalist: Medins Havs och Vattenkonsulter AB, Sweden and Seastar Survey, UK
Network member: Business Region and Greenwich Research & Enterprise
Finalist: TriROOM Innovation, Sweden, and University of Verona’s Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, Italy
Network members: Ab Centek Vid Mlulea Tekniska Universitet and Veneto Innovazione SPA
New Directions
Winner: Novihum Technologies GmbH, Dresden, Germany
Network members: Zenit GmbH
Finalist: Blue Abyss, Colchester, UK
Network members: Exemplas Holdings and St John’s Innovation Centre
Finalist: BalBok Engineering, Sofia, Bulgaria
Network members: ARC Consulting
New Horizons
Winner: Smartive, Barcelona, Spain
Network members: ACCIÓ
Finalist: Intale, Athens, Greece
Network members: National Documentation Centre
Finalist: Emulsar, Paris, France
Network members: CCI Paris Île-de-France