AGENCJA ROZWOJU REGIONALNEGO SPOLKA AKCYJNA W KONINIE

Their core work

Agencja Rozwoju Regionalnego (Regional Development Agency) in Konin is a Polish business support organization operating within the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN). Their core activity is providing innovation management advisory services to SMEs in the West Poland region, helping small companies access EU funding instruments — particularly the SME Instrument under Horizon 2020. They deliver hands-on mentoring, coaching, and Key Account Management (KAM) to guide SMEs through innovation processes, from identifying funding opportunities to strengthening their innovation capacity.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their focus has been remarkably consistent across 2015-2021: all four projects are successive editions of the same KAM2WestPoland program, delivering innovation management support to regional SMEs. However, the vocabulary shifted — early projects (2015-2018) emphasized structural terms like "capacity building" and "Key Account Management," while the later editions (2019-2021) introduced more practitioner-oriented language: "mentoring," "coaching," and "support to innovation management," suggesting a move from program administration toward more hands-on, personalized SME support. The appearance of "EIMC" (Enhanced Innovation Management Capacity) in the final project signals adoption of a more formalized EEN methodology.

Moving from structured program delivery toward personalized mentoring and coaching for SMEs, adopting the EIMC methodology — likely to continue as an experienced EEN innovation advisor in future EU programs.

How they like to work

Agencja Rozwoju Regionalnego has always participated as a partner, never as a coordinator, across all four projects. With only 8 unique consortium partners all within a single country (Poland), they operate in tight, domestically-focused teams — likely alongside other Polish EEN members delivering the same KAM program regionally. This suggests a reliable, low-risk partner for nationally-scoped coordination and support actions, but not an organization that builds or leads international consortia.

Their network is compact and domestic: 8 unique partners, all within Poland. This reflects their role as one node in a national EEN consortium delivering region-specific SME support across West Poland.

What sets them apart

Their value lies in deep regional reach — as a development agency in Konin, they have direct relationships with SMEs in an economically transitioning area of West Poland (historically coal-dependent). For consortium builders needing a partner who can mobilize and support SMEs in Polish regions outside the major urban centers, this agency offers ground-level access and six years of continuous KAM program experience. They are not a research or technology organization — their contribution is business support infrastructure and SME engagement.

Highlights from their portfolio

• KAM2WP_2020_2021
  The most mature iteration of their KAM program, introducing EIMC methodology with explicit mentoring and coaching components — representing their evolved service model.
• KAM2WestPoland
  The original 2015-2016 project that established their role in the EEN Key Account Management program for West Poland, forming the foundation for three successive editions.