Stimulate the participation of SMEs from NMS inIST activities
www.epristart.org

EPRI start - Started to succeed

is an 18 months project (March 2005 – August
2006) that stimulates, increases and qualifies the
participation of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
from all ten New Member States of the European
Union in the Information Society Technologies (IST)
Programme of the European Union.

EPRI start - aims to:

• establish and announce a Qualified Partner Pool
  consisting of the most innovative IST oriented SMEs
  from New Member States of the European Union,
• develop a Certified Partner Pool providing these
  SME partners with a Fast Track Procedure and with
  a Starter Package ready to immediately participate in
  IST Research Projects,
• finally initiate participation of SMEs from New Member 
  States in the different IST Calls during the
  lifetime of the project.
  

Therefore EPRI-start is supported by political decision
makers of the New Member States of the European
Union as well as European Political Decision Makers in
order to foster SME participation in European Research
and to prepare and support the discussion of the 7th
Framework Programme.

EPRI START Co-ordinator

TSA – Teleport Sachsen-Anhalt GmbH
Steinfeldstrasse 3
D-39179 Barleben
Germany
www.tsa.de

Mr. Marco Langhof
marco.langhof@tsa.de
Mr. Uwe Leicht
uwe.leicht@tsa.de

How you can benefit

… as an innovative SME from the New Member
States of the European Union:

• use European Research for continuous innovation
  and technological development in your company,
• get experiences and knowledge in international
  research and development co-operation and
  create attractive jobs,
• get up-to-date information on ongoing
  opportunities in European Research programmes
  and use the Fast Track to Participation,
• become part of a sustainable self helping network
  within your country,
• get access to the EPRI-Forum, a network of
  political decision makers supporting your recent
  and future participation in European Research.

… as a player in an existing or newly arising IST
project consortium:

• get access to fresh and innovative resources from
  the New Member States as an enhancement of
  your consortium,
• extend existing networks by co-operating with
  the most innovative SMEs from the New Member
  States,
• become part of the EPRI-start network of scientific
  promoters in the NMS, extend your trans-national
  co-operation and re-focus your internationalisation
  strategy.

Your Fast Track to Participation How you can start

… as an innovative SME from the New Member
States of the European Union:

• contact the EPRI-start partner in your country,
• announce your participation idea,
• go through the EPRI-start certification procedure
  with your local EPRI-start partner,
• get your Starter Package ready to use in any
  proposal,

use the EPRI-start participation brokering platform

… as player in the IST community:

• contact EPRI START personnel directly during
  numerous IST events,
• go to www.epristart.org and search the Company
  Fact Sheet database by country, SME name, or
  call theme
• study the Company Fact Sheets,
  contact EPRI START or the identified SMEs from
  the NMS directly.