Small and medium sized enterprises in health research : opportunities during and after participation in EU funded projects

Industrial participation is encouraged in the FP7 Health Theme, with special attention to research-intensive medium-small sized companies (SMEs). Already in FP6 a special call for proposals, focussing on STREPs dedicated to SMEs, provided funding for 86 projects, mobilising a high number of research-intensive SMEs in health research. Coordinators or participants of those projects were invited to the workshop «SMEs in Health Research, opportunities during and after participation to EU funded projects» to enhance valorization of results and to improve communication of project successes, taking also the opportunity to inform them of existing support structures available in Europe (like the European Medicines Agency SME office) and other possible sources of financial support. The proceedings of the workshop include summaries and slides of presentations and provide a practical guide to sources of information. It is essential that all European scientists become more aware of the importance of intellectual property rights and ownership of research results, so that Europe retains or gains technological leadership. This effort should start since the first steps of EU funded collaborative projects and this publication is intended as a tool to enhance European research and innovation in health.