Do innovation Vouchers Help SMEs to Cross the Bridge Towards Science?

The Dutch innovation voucher aims to stimulate the interaction between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and public research institutes. This document provides an estimate of the effectiveness of the innovation voucher instrument, employing the fact that the vouchers were assigned randomly by means of a lottery. The main conclusion is that the innovation voucher instrument does stimulate SMEs to engage in many new assignments with public research institutes. Out of every ten vouchers, eight are used for a project that would not have been assigned without such a voucher, one is used for a project that would have been assigned anyhow, and one voucher is not used. An overall assessment of the innovation voucher also needs to take into account the value added of the additional assignments, however. No insights have yet been obtained here.

A subsequent paper analyses an additional year (2005) and also tracks long term outcomes.

Policy implications

Distributing innovation vouchers can be an effective way of encouraging SMEs to engage in projects with public research institutes.

Additional information

Hypotheses/research question

What is the effect of the innovation voucher on the commissioning of assignments by small and medium-sized enterprises from public research institutions? Specifically: - What was the effect on the number of knowledge transfer projects: does the innovation voucher instrument lead to more assignments by SMEs for public research institutions over a certain period? - What was the effect on the size of knowledge transfer projects: does the innovation voucher instrument lead to larger assignments by SMEs for public research institutions? - What was the effect on the timing of knowledge transfer projects: does the innovation voucher instrument lead to already planned assignments for public research institutions being brought forward?

Study design

Natural field experiment

Any Dutch SMEs welcomed to apply. SMEs were defined here as firms with less than 250 employees or less than €40 million turnover/annual balance sheet of less than €27 million. Maximum 25% of capital or voting rights in the SMEs can be in hands of firms who do not fall under the previous characteristics, exceptions include openly noted companies or those with institutional investors. SMEs who had received more than €100,000 in government subsidies over a three-year period were not eligible. The innovation voucher was allocated on a first come first served basis. In the first round 1044 SMEs applied on the first day for one of the 100 vouchers available.

Cost benefit ratio

Not available.

Rounds of data collection

2: baseline + post-intervention.

Baseline data collection and method

N/A

Data collection method and data collected

Structured telephone interviews.

Unit of analysis

Business

Stratification

Reference

Cornet, M., Vroomen, B., & van der Steeg, M., 2006. 'Do Innovation Vouchers Help SMEs to Cross the Bridge Towards Science?'. CPB Discussion Paper, no. 58.

Do innovation Vouchers Help SMEs to Cross the Bridge Towards Science?

Key information

Additional information

Key facts

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