Beta Fund

1 to support SMEs and (SOs) in identifying innovation opportunities and building international teams & consortia particularly around topics significant to aerospace primes.2 to support SMEs & SOs to recognise FP7 & 8 call opportunities, and to prepare and submit well-conceived proposals.3 to identify the critical issues in long term research within aerospace SMEs &SOs, resolving them where possible.4 to increase participation from SMEs & SOs in countries that are in deficit in terms of participation iin the European Research Area (ERA).5 to support SMEs & SOs to participate in proposals as initiators of proposals rather than being followers.6 to create a greater number of pan-European clusters to expand opportunities currently limited by a focus on regional or national clusters.7 to increase participation in sustainable development programmes, such as the green programme 'Clean Sky'.8 to create a sustainable post-project organisation to provide recommendations to the European Commission on tackling emerging critical issues.