Catalonia has an active and innovative business community and a strong research and innovation system, including internationally recognised universities, research and technology centres. Catalonia is one of the main poles of attraction for foreign direct investment in Europe - it concentrates more than 25% of Spanish exports and 1% of the world’s total scientific production per inhabitant. Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is the world’s mobile capital and iCapital of Europe. Catalonia has adopted the Catalonia 2020 Strategy, which is the Catalan Government’s roadmap for relaunching the economy and consolidating Catalonia as an industrially-based country, with an open, competitive and sustainable economy combining talent, creativity, a diversified business ecosystem and its own research system of excellence - all within a dynamic, entrepreneurial and inclusive society.
ACCIÓ is the Agency for Business Competitiveness. ACCIÓ’s different programmes promote internationalization and innovation. We provide service to 24,000 companies a year. We connect businesses to the key strategic sectors. We promote internationalization and innovation. We help Catalan businesses and startups boost their competitiveness. We help international companies connect and tap into the competitive advantages Catalonia and Barcelona provide.
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Rue de la Loi, 227
1040 Brussels
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S3 Strategy
The Strategy for the Smart Specialisation of Catalonia (RIS3CAT) defines the framework within which the Catalan Government establishes research and innovation (R&I) actions and programmes and provides support for the generation and development of innovative projects. RIS3CAT establishes four strategic objectives:
- To modernise the business fabric by improving the efficiency of production processes, internationalisation and the reorientation of consolidated sectors towards activities with greater added value;
- To promote new emerging economic activities through research and innovation to create and develop new market niches;
- To consolidate Catalonia as a European knowledge hub and link technological and creative capacities to existing and emerging sectors in the territory;
- To improve the overall Catalan innovation system, increasing the competitiveness of companies and steering public policies towards promotion of innovation, internationalisation and entrepreneurship.
The four pillars of action are:
- Leading sectors;
- Emerging activities;
- Cross-cutting enabling technologies;
- Innovation environment.
Strategic R&I Projects
AI REGIO
The AI REGIO innovation action aims to consolidate the collaboration in the pan-European network of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) by enhancing the offering of regional DIHs to manufacturing SMEs on policy impact, technological impact and business impact.
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CATCIM
CATCIM stands for Catalan services for more Competitiveness and Innovation in the global Market and is focused on offering assessment, mentoring and coaching services to SMEs with the objective of increasing and accelerating the economic returns from innovation.
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RESET
RESET (Redesigning Equality and Scientific Excellence Together) envisions a human-centric, inclusive and diversity respectful approach for an intersectional approach to gender equality.
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Tecniospring INDUSTRY
Tecniospring INDUSTRY, ACCIÓ's international talent programme, boosts technology transfer processes by offering R&D companies and centres 2-year employment contracts to host a researcher.
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Working Group Leaders
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- By Maria Bostrom
ERRIN at the European Week of Regions and Cities 2025
The 23rd European Week of Regions and Cities (EWRC) brought together over 6,000 participants in Brussels under the motto Shaping Tomorrow, Together. As the largest annual event on EU Cohesion Policy, it provided a platform for cities and regions to exchange ideas on sustainable development, innovation and inclusiveness. ERRIN and its members were actively engaged throughout the week, contributing to and supporting several sessions that highlighted the importance of strong and connected regional innovation ecosystems.
- By Karim Hassan Hosny
Looking for a Research center coordinator for the HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-09
This consortium is looking for an entity to take up the role of "Research center" coordinator, and the related tasks for the call HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-09. This project proposal aims to promote new care models for people with disabilities, particularly in rural areas.
- By Ewa Chomicz
Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2025 is out
On 15 July, the Commission released the newest bi-annual Regional Innovation Scoreboard (RIS), alongside the yearly edition of the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS). The RIS 2025 offers a comparative assessment of the performance of innovation systems across 241 regions in EU countries, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
- By Maria Bostrom
Catalan preliminary position paper on FP10
This position paper is based on a thorough analysis of recent EU reports and policy trends, including the proposals by Enrico Letta6 , Mario Draghi7 , or Manuel Heitor8 . Catalonia fully recognises the importance of EU-wide coordination, but also stresses the need to embed regional voices and capacities into the design and implementation of FP10.
- By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha
Digital transition for climate change adaptation: RESIST project sharing solutions
The RESIST project organised a webinar on digital transition in climate change adaptation. The webinar presented a novel combination of digital technologies for climate change adaptation objectives and marked the launch of the RESIST Community of Interest.
- By Maria Bostrom
ERRIN Paper Series: 'Connected regional innovation ecosystems – key for Europe’s competitiveness'
ERRIN is pleased to share its latest input paper on the role of R&I ecosystems in the future long-term budget post-2027, titled 'Connected regional innovation ecosystems – key for Europe’s competitiveness'. This marks the third paper in ERRIN's 'Towards the 10th Framework Programme' paper series, while also reaching beyond FP10, providing input more broadly on the next EU long-term budget post-2027, as discussions around European competitiveness and resilience are intensifying.