Priority Axis 1: Cooperating for smarter programme area

Specific objective: RSO1.1. Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies

Intro
The cross-border area has a great potential in various innovative actions for economic development. While the whole Europe is undergoing green and digital transition, this area is yet to foster innovative and competitive economic base. Better innovative capacity is pivotal for economic growth. Even when higher education and research institutions exist, knowledge creation and technology transfer are yet to become an integral part of the economic actions to support competitive and smarter economy.
So, the programme is focused on supporting actions that support and accelerate innovation and technology transfer, primarily (but not exclusively) in the area of green economy.

Types of actions
The proposed non-exhaustive list of actions aims to create links, boost capacities and promote best practices of cooperation among businesses that will enable development of smart and innovative economy across the area. They aim to raise the policy-making capacities, establish institutional cooperation across the quadruple helix, create the best practices in businesses and establish business and knowledge exchanges across the border.

  1. Supporting cross-border innovation and technology based on smart specialization approach and improving cooperation between research institutions, SMEs, public sector, and business support organisations
  2. Supporting pilot lines, early product validation, certification, advanced manufacturing capabilities including via science – business collaboration
  3. Strengthening and modernising business support services (including small scale infrastructure preferring nature-based solutions) that could help with trainings, marketing, developing and or implementing new services/products, using ICT and new technologies, implementing innovative solutions in business organisation and processes (blockchain, big data, cloud computing, Internet of Things, advanced manufacturing, robotics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, etc.)
  4. Accelerating innovation and technology transfer (e.g., bio, green and circular economy, agriculture, food production, smart manufacturing (the value chain should include efficiency of resources used, as well as responsible sourcing), climate change, biodiversity, skills development for smart specialization, etc.) in order to support the roll out of innovative solutions
  5. Pilot actions aimed at transferring good practices on green economy trends and standards
  6. Enhancing support services for SMEs and entrepreneurs to improve their access to research and technological innovations
  7. Enhancing transfer and upscaling of proven green solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of production processes and open up green business opportunities
  8. Improving capacities, developing technical solutions and new work methods, and integration of innovative solutions using ICT for public sector needs
  9. Supporting the establishment of Living Labs, test-beds and ecosystems to promote the development and actual use of innovative solutions
  10. Supporting cooperation of public authorities in development, implementation and monitoring of smart specialisation strategies and other policy tools for development of innovative economy
  11. Establishing connections and long-term cooperation between research institution especially in joint capacity building for innovation and technology transfer to businesses.

Allocation: 6,612,285 €

Main target groups
Target groups include all the relevant stakeholders that make up for a healthy innovation ecosystem. These are all elements of the quadruple helix that support innovative economy from the knowledge generation to marketing of the innovative products. They include:
– Public authorities (national/regional/local level) and bodies governed by public law
– Research institutions and higher education organisations (universities, faculties, institutes)
– Business support institutions, e.g. regional and local development agencies, chambers of commerce, innovation agencies and hubs, business incubators, competence centres, technology and industrial parks, start-up centres
– Business clusters, associations or non-governmental organisations aimed at promotion of technology transfer and innovation
– SMEs will be included only indirectly