Innovation, SMEs and the territory. Distribution of small and medium-sized innovative enterprises in Campania

Small and medium-sized enterprises play a primary role in the Italian and European economic system, as witnessed by their numbers and employment levels. This type of enterprise can become a driving force for innovation in a mutual exchange with the territory of which it is a part, helping to shape its economy. SMEs have a higher propensity to innovate due to their agility and ability to adapt quickly to changing market conditions. Their smaller size allows them to take risks that larger companies are often reluctant to take, and their closer relationship with the territory allows for a mutual exchange of knowledge and ideas that contributes to their innovative capacity. Additionally, their ability to absorb knowledge effectively also plays a role in their higher inclination to innovate. The European Union supports innovative SMEs through funding programmes, incubators and accelerators because the innovation of these types of enterprises is a vital component of the EU economy and, therefore, substantial resources are made available to support their growth. This contribution, after a review of the literature on innovation, SMEs and the territory, presents an analysis of the main innovation indicators for European states and Italian regions and, finally, a focus on innovative SMEs in the Campania region and their relationship with the territory. With the aim to investigate whether the belonging of enterprises to peripheral areas has an impact on their innovation capacity. The research is particularly innovative compared to existing literature on the subject as it focuses on the analysis of specific innovation indicators aiming to explore the relationship between innovative SMEs and the territory, offering a distinct perspective