Background. Innovation and innovativeness play an important role in the development of economic entities under the conditions of increasing competition and the transition to the knowledge-based economy. Determinants of SME innovativeness are the object of growing interest of government policy supporting this sector.
Research aims. The presented paper is an attempt to determine the impact of state aid for innovation on innovativeness of enterprises in the SME sector. It also discusses the role of innovation capacity in the development of innovativeness of enterprises.
Method. The research consisted of the survey among 95 enterprises, which made use of state aid for innovative activity in the years of 2008-2010. The average age of the enterprises was 19 years in 2010, while the average number of employees amounted to 60 people.
Key findings. The analysis of research results does not confirm the hypothesis on the state aid impact on innovativeness among Polish SMEs. However, important dependences where observed between innovativeness and innovative capacity as well as between innovative capacity and state aid.

Background. Innovation and innovativeness play an important role in the development of economic entities under the conditions of increasing competition and the transition to the knowledge-based economy. Determinants of SME innovativeness are the object of growing interest of government policy supporting this sector.
Research aims. The presented paper is an attempt to determine the impact of state aid for innovation on innovativeness of enterprises in the SME sector. It also discusses the role of innovation capacity in the development of innovativeness of enterprises.
Method. The research consisted of the survey among 95 enterprises, which made use of state aid for innovative activity in the years of 2008-2010. The average age of the enterprises was 19 years in 2010, while the average number of employees amounted to 60 people.
Key findings. The analysis of research results does not confirm the hypothesis on the state aid impact on innovativeness among Polish SMEs. However, important dependences where observed between innovativeness and innovative capacity as well as between innovative capacity and state aid.