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The objective of the evaluation is as follows:
To determine whether the main objective of the innovation vouchers – promoting the use of available knowledge by knowledge institutions for the benefit of innovation by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – is being achieved.
The above objective can be translated into various research questions. It is stated in advance that these questions will be answered for both small and large vouchers. Furthermore, the questions mainly focus on the vouchers granted in 2006, but for some questions, such as those related to effects, it is necessary to also consider the vouchers from 2005. The four main questions of the evaluation are as follows (see Annex 1 for a complete overview of research questions):
- To what extent have the vouchers led to the issuance of orders to knowledge institutions that would not have been issued (or issued later) otherwise?
- What has been the benefit for the entrepreneur of engaging a knowledge institution for a project? In other words, what type of projects do SMEs bring to knowledge institutions and what do SMEs gain from this?
- To what extent has the collaboration resulting from the voucher led to more enduring contacts between companies and knowledge institutions?
- How does the entrepreneur continue his innovation process after the vouchers?
