Priority Axis 1: Smart investments in research, innovation and competitive entrepreneurship

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

Intro
With specific objective 1.1. the Programme will be focused on supporting actions that accelerate innovation and technology transfer, primarily (but not exclusively) in the areas of blue and green economy, circular economy, agriculture, food production, fisheries and aquaculture, climate change, renewable resources, smart manufacturing, biodiversity, skills development for smart specialization etc.

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. 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.)
  3. Accelerating innovation and technology transfer including commercialisation of the final product or solution (e.g. blue and green economy, circular economy, agriculture, food production, fisheries and aquaculture, climate change, renewable resources, smart manufacturing, biodiversity, skills development for smart specialization).These technologies should belong on the low carbon technology list and will include applications to minimize resource consumption in other sectors (agriculture, food production, manufacture etc.)
  4. Supporting pilot lines, early product validation, certification, advanced manufacturing capabilities including via science – business collaboration
  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 and integration of innovative solutions using ICT for public sector needs including information, education and support to the public in use of e-services of public administration
  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: 13,540,000.00 €

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 (only indirectly).