INDUSTRIE- UND HANDELSKAMMER FRANKFURT AM MAIN

Their core work

IHK Frankfurt am Main is the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the Frankfurt region, serving as a key node in the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) for the state of Hessen. Their H2020 involvement focuses on delivering innovation management consulting, internationalization support, and SME Instrument coaching to small and medium enterprises in Hessen. They help SMEs access EU funding instruments, improve their innovation capacity, and connect with European markets — acting as a bridge between regional businesses and EU innovation programs.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2015-2018, IHK Frankfurt focused on broad SME support: innovation consulting, internationalization guidance, and helping companies navigate the SME Instrument. From 2019 onward, their role shifted toward more specialized Key Account Management (KAM) services for SMEs that had already received EU funding through SMEI, FTI, FET-Open, and the EIC pilot. This evolution reflects a move from general innovation support toward post-award mentoring and scaling assistance for funded companies.

IHK Frankfurt is moving from general SME advisory toward specialized coaching for EU-funded companies navigating scale-up and commercialization through EIC instruments.

How they like to work

IHK Frankfurt participates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator — consistent with their role as a regional EEN node within a larger Hessen-wide network. They work with a very small, stable group of partners (4 unique partners, all within Germany), repeating the same consortium structure across multiple funding periods. This signals a loyal, embedded partnership style rather than broad networking — ideal for organizations seeking a reliable German regional partner with deep local industry connections.

IHK Frankfurt works within a tight domestic consortium of 4 partners, all based in Germany, as part of the Hessen EEN regional network. Their collaboration footprint is deliberately local, focused on coordinating SME support services within the Hessen region.

What sets them apart

As a Chamber of Commerce, IHK Frankfurt brings direct access to thousands of registered businesses in one of Europe's most important financial and industrial regions. Unlike universities or research institutes, they sit at the interface between EU innovation programs and the real economy — their value is in reaching and mobilizing SMEs that researchers and technology providers cannot easily access on their own. For consortium builders, they offer a credible gateway to the Frankfurt-Hessen business ecosystem.

Highlights from their portfolio

• InnoHessen2Europe (2020-2021)
  Most recent iteration, expanded to include KAM services for EIC pilot beneficiaries — reflects the evolution of EU SME support instruments.
• InnoHessen2Europe_19
  Transitional project that first introduced KAM services for SMEI, FTI, and FET-Open beneficiaries, marking a shift from general advisory to post-award support.