RAZISKOVALNO-RAZVOJNO IN UMETNISKO SREDISCE UNIVERZE V MARIBORU

Their core work

RAZ:UM is the research, development and arts support unit of the University of Maribor, operating as part of Slovenia's Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) node to deliver innovation management coaching to SMEs. Their H2020 work centered entirely on helping Slovenian small businesses assess and improve their innovation capabilities, using structured tools like IMP3rove and the SME Instrument framework. In practice, they functioned as Key Account Managers and coaches connecting SMEs to funding opportunities and innovation improvement pathways. Their role sits at the intersection of university knowledge transfer and business development support, rather than in primary research.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their first project (2015–2016), RAZ:UM focused on individual SME-level tools — IMP3rove assessments and Key Account Manager assignments — suggesting hands-on diagnostic work with individual companies. By 2017–2018, the language shifted toward EEN network infrastructure terms (coaches, KAM as a system, innovation management capacity at scale), indicating a move from individual company coaching toward building a broader support capacity across the network. Given that no projects appear after 2018, it is unclear whether this trajectory continued or whether their EEN engagement ended with the We4SMESLO programme.

Their trajectory pointed toward a more systematic, network-wide role within the Slovenian EEN ecosystem, but the absence of any H2020 activity after 2018 makes it impossible to confirm whether this matured into a larger programme.

How they like to work

RAZ:UM has exclusively joined projects as a participant — never as coordinator — across both of its H2020 engagements. With only 7 unique consortium partners drawn entirely from Slovenia, their network is small, domestically focused, and likely tied to the formal EEN consortium structure rather than independently built. This suggests a reliable but narrowly scoped partner suited for national-level SME support activities rather than complex multi-country consortia.

RAZ:UM has worked with 7 unique consortium partners, all within Slovenia, reflecting the national scope of the We4SMESLO programme. Their network is effectively the Slovenian EEN consortium rather than an independently cultivated research or industry network.

What sets them apart

RAZ:UM occupies an unusual position as a University of Maribor unit that operates as an SME-facing service provider rather than a traditional research group — their value is in translating university resources into practical innovation support for small businesses. Within Slovenia, their EEN affiliation gives them access to a structured pipeline of SMEs seeking innovation guidance and funding navigation. For consortia targeting Slovenian SME engagement or regional innovation support activities, they offer an existing operational relationship with the national EEN network.

Highlights from their portfolio

• We4SMESLO
  The founding project of their EEN engagement, with the highest budget (EUR 6,482) and introducing the IMP3rove and SME Instrument methodology that defined their subsequent work.
• We4SMESLO_3
  The follow-on phase that evolved from individual diagnostics to a broader KAM coaching model, representing the most recent and methodologically mature iteration of their SME support work.