YMIR bridges the gap between innovative SMEs and investors (venture capital firms, business angels and other private equity firms) and contributes to exploiting the innovation potential of SMEs and their ICT research project results by developing a range of services to enable them to benefit from financial investors.The YMIR project has as a strategic objective the provision of services and assistance to facilitate access to finance for innovative SMEs participating in past and ongoing ICT projects in the EU Framework Programme that will lead to increased investment in high growth SMEs in the ICT field. YMIR will promote innovation in Europe via the promotion of links between, on one side, innovative SMEs and on the other, venture capital firms, business angels and other private equity firms. A unique and professional experience will be guaranteed through a methodology that will ensure a quick and reliable matching and interaction between both sides.The YMIR project strategy foresees the analysis of past and ongoing FP6/FP7 ICT projects and selection of SMEs with the aim of identifying and profiling 250 of them with the objective of establishing a business community of 100 innovative SMEs with high growth potential, involved in research activities and committed to long term, sustainable partnerships. In parallel, YMIR will identify European venture capital (VC) firms, business angels and other private equity willing to align in trust-based partnerships, guided by a strong belief in sustainable investment and social responsibility principles, as well as by economic objectives.YMIR foresees the provision of consultancy and assistance services on finance issues to SMEs participating in past and ongoing ICT projects that intend to promote their research results, the organisation and running of four Venture Academies (workshops dedicated to training and preparing SMEs for their meetings and negotiation with VC or other investors) organised in correspondence with the four Investment Forums (partnering events where SMEs will present their business plans and ideas and meet with investors) each of which will take place on the day after a Venture Academy. This activity should lead to the collection of approximately 60 innovative ideas, from which YMIR aims to build 20 business plans to be presented to investors. In this context, the ultimate objective is the presentation of 10 innovative projects and their business plan to investors during the Investment Forums.