SMART is a Support Action co-funded by the FP7 of the European Commission. The aim of the project is to provide services to support SMEs participation in RTD research projects under the Transport Work-Programme, mainly:
- connecting Clusters of Transport sector in different European countries
- training on EU funding mechanisms
- facilitating networking opportunities and partnerships creation among all stakeholders of the transport sector (using the metacluster approach)
- addressing SMEs research capabilities/needs
- facilitating the creation of consortium with large organizations in projects led by SME
- supporting SMEs in submitting proposals for own project ideas
- creating a nurturing environment for transnational research projects
Regional Cluster, Large organizations, SMEs, Public and Private research centers are some of the members involved in the SMART Community benefitting of its network and services.
The SMART website is one of the main project’s instruments, allowing registered organizations to access useful information, tools and smoothing consortia building procedures.
The main website sections address different needs of those who want to participate in Surface Transport research, offering useful tools to:
- Support proposal building,
- Find high quality potential partners,
- Gain visibility at international level,
- Access information on funding opportunities and mechanisms,
- Receive free consultancy about project ideas.