Negosyo Center – Institutionalized Innovation Assistance for SMEs

 

Funded by the ASEAN-German Promoting Innovation and Technology (PIT) Program, Negosyo Center – Institutionalized Innovation Assistance for SMEs (2015-2016) is a PhP 307.9K project that aims to provide assistance to DTI to foster innovations in SMEs through institutionalizing innovation promotion in Negosyo Centers.

Specifically, it aims to provide capacity development interventions to SME Counsellors who are tasked to manage the Negosyo Centers. The project is set to be complemented to the existing DTI programs vis-à-vis SME Development, namely: Shared Service Facilities (SSF), SME Roving Academy (SMERA), National Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project (NICCEP), and Promotion of Green Economic Development (ProGED).

The components of this project are: conceptualizing an innovation promotion capacity development strategy for the Negosyo Centers; training of trainers for DTI, selected members of the academe, and established BDS providers; capacity building for SME Counsellors and standardization of processes and services together with trained trainers; linking Negosyo Centers to German innovation institutes for partnership, coaching, and mentoring; conducting action research focusing on the experience of the SME Counsellors and clients, with a view of identifying constraints and opportunities for improvement; and engaging and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).

Negosyo Center - Institutionalized Innovation Assistance for SMEs 1

The participants from DTI Regions 6 and 10 together with the technical expert Mr. Frank Wealtring during one of the sessions at the Regional Innovation Program Training held in Iloilio City, Philippines.

Negosyo Center - Institutionalized Innovation Assistance for SMEs 2

Technical expert Mr. Frank Waeltring together with the co-facilitators of the training, Ms. Rita Pilarca and Mr. Peter Klaus Berkemeyer.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS OF 2016:

  • Facilitated the conduct of the Regional Innovation Promotion Training held on 23-26 February 2016 in Iloilo City. The said training is the result of the findings of a strategy design mission that was facilitated by Mr. Frank Waeltring in September 2015.
  • Participated in a 2-day ASEAN PIT Networking Event in Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Coordinated a meeting with the Office of Sen. Bam Aquino, ARD Doris Delima, and Mr. Pete Berkemeyer regarding the proposed replication of the Regional Innovation Promotion Training to other regions. It was also proposed that a training module (general and specific) be crafted to aid the Business Counselors.
  • Presented the accomplished activities of the Negosyo Center – Institutionalized Innovation Assistance for SMEs to the DTI-Regional Operations Group (ROG) Green Growth Core Group
  • Coordinated with Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) and Foreign Trade Services Corps (FTSC) regarding the development of the training module (general and specialized) for the Business Counsellors