Supporting eco-innovations towards international markets (SUPER)

The partners of the SUPER project are committed to improving the understanding of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) about the role of eco-sustainable innovations in the development of the company. It is necessary to set up transnational networks to work and seek solutions for how the public and private sectors can work together and improve mechanisms for implementing policy instruments directly to support the development of an environmental business. As Latvia currently does not have an eco-innovation policy strategy, this project is an essential support for analyzing existing problems and look for the most effective solutions for improving the situation.

Within the framework of the project, according to a common methodology, the analysis of the needs of SMEs in the area of environmentally friendly innovation from partner regions will be carried out.

The analysis of the barriers and potential of the commercialization and internationalization of environmentally friendly innovations as well as the transfer of good practices will be done to support and develop these areas of entrepreneurship and innovation.

In the result, an action plan will be worked out for the development of support instruments (including SAM 1.2.1. in Latvia) to improve the competitiveness and innovation capacity of regional SMEs.

 

Covid - 19

Following the completion of the SUPER project, the project partners were approved under the 5th Interreg Europe Call for Additional Activities to analyze the economic impact of Covid-19, jointly seek solutions to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 crisis, and promote SME eco-innovation, internationalization and return to international markets.

The Covid-19 crisis has hit Europe and the world hard. The SUPER project will share experiences of how partner regions Covid-19 have affected eco-innovation, SME internationalization, customer acquisition, supply chains. At the same time, a pandemic for some companies has been an opportunity for growth. The pandemic has also accelerated digitization processes and benefited businesses that were already digital. The project will develop proposals for improving eco-innovation policies and tools to support eco-innovation.

 

 

Title

Supporting eco-innovations towards international markets

Abbreviation

SUPER

Lead partner

County Administrative Board of Östergötland (Sweden)

Programme Interreg Europe 2014-2020

 

Partners

1. County Administrative Board of Östergötland (Sweden)

2.  Linköping University (Sweden)

3.  Vaeksthus Zealand (Denmark)

4.  Murcia Business Innovation Centre (BIC Murcia) (Spain)

5.  Province of Utrecht (Netherlands)

6.  Podlaska Regional Development Foundation (Poland)

7.  Tipperary County Council (Ireland)*

8. Western Macedonia University of Applied Sciences (TEIWM) (Greece)

9. Vidzeme Planning Region (Latvia)

10. Lithuanian Innovation Centre (Lithuania)

 

* All partners are involved in the extension project, with the exception of Tipperari County Council in Ireland.

Objectives

Improve the implementation of regional development policies and programmes, in particular, programmes for Investment for Growth and Jobs and, where relevant, ETC programmes, that support the delivery of innovation by actors in regional innovation chains in areas of “smart specialization” and innovation opportunity.

Objective for the extension of the project Improve eco-innovation policy instruments through new projects and improved governance to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 and promote the development and return of SMEs to international markets.

Activities

  • Eco-friendly business and innovation support tools in partner regions will be identified and analyzed;
  • The methodologies developed by the Linköping University (Sweden) will focus on identifying and analyzing the needs of SMEs in the area of eco-innovation in the partner regions, analyzing the barriers and potential of the commercialization and internationalization of environmentally friendly innovations as well as the transfer of good practices to support and develop such business and innovation areas. In the result an action plan for the development of support tools will be developed to improve the competitiveness and innovation capacity of regional SMEs;
  • Recommendations will be developed for public sector stakeholders in this field;
  • The competitiveness and innovation capacity of Vidzeme region' s environmentally friendly SMEs will be promoted.
Additional activities
  • Develop a report on how Covid-19 has affected eco-innovative SMEs,identify examples of good practice;
  • To establish cooperation with the stakeholders involved in the project - SMEs, local governments, innovation policy makers and support organizations, educational and research institutions to identify the consequences of Covid-19 and development opportunities;
  • Familiarization and transfer of partner countries' research and good practice to partners in 2 interregional meetings;
  • Dissemination activities.

Results

Within the framework of the project, according to a common methodology, the analysis of the needs of SMEs in the area of environmentally friendly innovation from partner regions will be analyzed.

The analysis of the barriers and potential of the commercialization and internationalization of environmentally friendly innovations as well as the transfer of good practices will be done to support and develop these areas of entrepreneurship and innovation.

In the result, an action plan will be worked out for the development of support instruments (including SAM 1.2.1. in Latvia) to improve the competitiveness and innovation capacity of regional SMEs.
Additional results
  • A report on the impact of Covid-19 on eco-innovative SMEs has been developed, an example of good practice has been identified and analyzed;
  • Recommendations for the improvement of eco-innovation policy are provided;
  • Increased knowledge of project stakeholders about innovation support tools and potential benefits for SMEs;
  • The experience of the partner countries in mitigating the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis has been acquired, co-operation in the development of new projects has been started.

Budget

Total – 1 677 252 EUR

Vidzeme Planning Region - 110 107 EUR
Budget of extended period

Total - EUR 397 075.38

Vidzeme Planning Region - EUR 36 412.40

Implementation period

01.04.2016. – 31.03.2021.

Extension period 01.10.2021 –30.09.2022

Contact person

Rita Merca

Tel. +371 29476373

rita.merca@vidzeme.lv 

Project webpage

http://www.interregeurope.eu/super/