Power of innovation networks for the energy sector after COVID-19. A case study of the Enterprise Europe Network

Innovation networks such as the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) are an important element supporting the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from various economic sec-tors. Their operations focus mainly on organizing brokerage events, business mission conferences, etc. These events are to facilitate networking, learning about new industry trends, or exchanging experiences. The global COVID-19 pandemic has significantly curbed the effectiveness of innovation networks, forcing them to look for new forms of contact. Entrepreneurs from the energy industry who have so far actively participated in events organized by the EEN have also been affected. The article analyzes the impact of EEN pandemic on the activities of the EEN and its effectiveness, focusing mainly on the quantitative aspect of the impact of the crisis. In particular, it shows how the number of events organized, their structure and the effectiveness of EEN’s activities have changed, which is reflected in the number of cooperation contracts between entrepreneurs participating in the events. The paper compares the impact of the pandemic on the organization of all types of promotional events for companies in the energy industry. Furthermore, based on a case study, the article discusses the problems faced by innovation networks during the pandemic and those faced by companies in the energy industry. The results of the study clearly show a decrease in the number of events organized by innovation networks in times of crisis, but the decrease in energy-related events is not as significant as in events related to other industries. At the same time, the effectiveness of organized events increased.