Policies & Measures to Support Local & Regional Innovation Ecosystems (ecoRIS3)

The transfer of innovation and knowledge produced by the research & technological organizations and higher education to the local and regional businesses remains one of the most important gaps and difficulties in terms of Innovation & Growth. It is particularly important to generate economic exploitation of the R&D results in local and regional areas of Smart Specialization (RIS3).

There is a clear need to improve and connect regional challenges and opportunities of RIS3, to local innovation policies and stakeholders. Regional and local authorities should play a key role of intermediation and, in accordance to ecoRIS3 objectives, promote better policies and measures to generate solid interactions between key stakeholders, to orchestrate sustainable innovation ecosystems within RIS3 strategies responding to the existing challenges and gaps.

 

Title

Policies & Measures to Support Local & Regional Innovation Ecosystems

Abbreviation

ecoRIS3

Lead partner

Fomento de San Sebastian (Spain)
Programme Interreg Europe 2014-2020

 

Partners

1. Fomento de San Sebastian, Spain

2. Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland

3. Comunidade Intermunicipal do Ave, Portugal

4. Sunrise Valley, Lithuania

5. Kainuun Etu, Finland

6. Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy

7. Vidzeme Planning Region, Latvia

8. Conference of Atlantic Arc Cities, France

Objective

To promote better policies and measures to generate solid interactions between key stakeholders to orchestrate sustainable innovation ecosystems within RIS3 strategies responding to the challenges and gaps identified.

Activities
  • Elaboration of regional SWOT analyses;
  • Peer review document on the role of private & public stakeholders in the local ecosystem in order to absorb innovation;
  • Joint survey and analysis on ecosystem in each territory;
  • Development of regional Action Plans;
  • Interregional study visits to learn about partner regions’ SME support facilities and entrepreneurship policies;
  • Interregional Workshops to discuss Best Practices and how to transfer/adapt them to the needs and potential of the different territories involved;
  • Seminars for experience exchange – study visits to relevant initiatives to promote sustainable innovation ecosystems in all partners territories, workshops to identify best practices, seminars for wider audience;
  • Stakeholders group meetings

Results
  • Increased capacity (knowledge and skills) of stakeholders and partner organizations
  • Interregional learning activities implemented – study visits, workshops, seminars
  • Policy recommendations & Action plans elaborated to improve policy instruments in terms of governance to achieve more coordinated interactions among the agents of the innovation system
  • 64 good practices identified
  • Improved policy implementation of smart specialization areas
  • Improved interaction among key stakeholders within RIS3 strategies – Public sector, Civil Society, RTO & High Education, SMEs & Industry
  • Improved cooperation among academia, clusters and SMEs.

Budget

Total budget: EUR 1 755 868

Implementation period

01.01.2017 – 31.12.2021

Contact person

Rita Merca, EcoRIS3 project manager

E-mail: rita.merca@vidzeme.lv
Project webpage https://www.interregeurope.eu/ecoris3/