RRA LUR participates in the formulation of European innovation ecosystems policy for the period 2021–2027
An important event entitled “Innovation ecosystems for the future of Europe” organised by the European Innovation Council, an instrument of the European Commission designed to support top-class innovators, entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and scientists throughout Europe, took place in Brussels on 18 February 2020. The conference was attended by Lilijana Madjar, director of the Regional Development Agency of the Ljubljana Urban Region (RRA LUR), accompanied by entrepreneurship and innovation expert Miha Leskovar, under the aegis of the European Association of Development Agencies (EURADA).
The event was organised as part of the European Commission’s strategy to improve the interconnection of innovation ecosystems as part of the third pillar of the Horizon Europe programme, “Innovative Europe”. The main emphasis is on joint innovation programmes and projects, for which the European Commission proposes to make up to €500 million of funding available. Representatives of the European Commission provided participants with information regarding the preparation of the next call for projects for the interconnection of regional innovation ecosystems under the Horizon Europe programme for the period 2021–2027. They emphasised that development agencies are key actors in the promotion of innovative ecosystems, since they play an important role in connecting various stakeholders and transferring knowledge and good practices to the region, and also in providing information and access to funds for the realisation of projects.
The EURADA Secretariat has prepared recommendations setting out specific measures and concrete cases for the promotion of innovative ecosystems. In the light of examples of developed innovation ecosystems in the Emilia-Romagna, Upper Austria and Basque regions, European development agencies believe that they should strengthen active policies to support innovations in SMEs, promote connected diversification in ecosystems and implement policies with a long-term perspective.