Working Group Leaders

Representatives of Brussels-based offices leading the work of Innovation & Investment Working Group.

Innovation & Investment WG Leader
Gabriele Pedrini

The Autonomous Province of Trento

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Wim De Kinderen
Wim De Kinderen

Brainport Eindhoven EU Office Brussels

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Loles Vidal
Loles Vidal

Generalitat Valenciana

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Innovation & Investment

The Innovation & Investment Working Group aims to monitor the main initiatives put in place by the European institutions under the priority ‘an economy that works for the people’ and explicitly target SMEs. The Working Group monitors industrial and cluster policy developments and promotes instruments that support innovative financing (e.g., cascade funding financial instruments).

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Last Working Group Meetings

Previous Related ERRIN Working Group Meetings

Strengthening skills governance in regional innovation ecosystems:  lessons learnt and remaining challenges

Strengthening skills governance in regional innovation ecosystems: lessons learnt and remaining challenges

Astrid Hannes

As the activities of the EU Year of Skills came to an end in April 2024, the Science and Education for Society Working Group is organising a Working Group meeting to reflect on the lessons learnt

Policy & Smart Specialisation WGs meeting: Widening in FP10 and impact on cohesion policy post-2027

Policy & Smart Specialisation WGs meeting: Widening in FP10 and impact on cohesion policy post-2027

Ewa Chomicz

The topic of widening gathers high attention in the discussions around the next European Framework Programme for R&I, raising questions with the potential to influence not only the Widening sub-

Policy WG meeting: Role of EU Missions in FP10

Policy WG meeting: Role of EU Missions in FP10

Ewa Chomicz

ERRIN has been closely involved in the design and implementation of the EU Missions since their inception. Missions remain one of the network's priorities and were one of the four main areas of focus

WG Related Events

WG Related Events

ERRIN event: Organising a regional innovation ecosystem

This in-person ERRIN event on 4 October, organised in line with the Management Board priority on widening and deepening engagement in R&I, invites all ERRIN members to share and explore the ways to develop their regional innovation ecosystems going beyond any specific initiatives or funding opportunities. The event will enable informal mutual learning and exchanges of practices between network colleagues from across Europe in an interactive way.

CoR stakeholder consultation "Towards an integrated EU policy approach to support place-based innovation for the green and digital transition"

​​​The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is drafting an opinion "Towards an integrated EU policy approach to support place-based innovation for the green and digital transition". Interested stakeholders are invited for a thematic consultation and exchange of views on 3 October 2023 from 10:00-12:00 at the CoR premises. Registration is possible by 29 September.

KEP 2.0 seminar: Implementation of the New European Innovation Agenda – What is in it for regions and cities?

​​​The European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission are organising a seminar on "Implementation of the New European Innovation Agenda – What is in it for regions and cities?" in the framework of their Knowledge Exchange Platform (KEP 2.0). The event will take place on 28 September from 14:30-18:00 in-person in Brussels, with ERRIN Director Pirita Lindholm as one of the speakers.

AI REGIO project final event

The AI REGIO project is organising its Final Event at the BluePoint in Brussels on the 27 September 2023 from 09:00-17:00. This hybrid event will be back-to-back with the Manufacturing Partnership Event of EFFRA on 26 September. AI and Manufacturing solutions of involved SMEs and Digital Innovation Hubs will be presented during this event.

Deep tech ventures in Europe: when gazelles meet dolphins

The Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU is organising a workshop "Deep tech ventures in Europe: when gazelles meet dolphins" on 15 September 2023 from 10:00-13:00 in person in Brussels. The workshop aims to delve into the potential that deep tech entrepreneurship has to transform the technological excellence that exists in Europe into GDP.

Policy WG meeting: Regional Innovation Valleys call under Horizon Europe – dealing with co-funding

In the frame of ERRIN’s focus on the Regional Innovation Valleys call under Horizon Europe (EIE RIV call), the requirement of 50% co-funding emerges as one of the most challenging aspects of the call for prospective applicant regions. The online Policy WG meeting on 29 June aims to discuss this urgent issue to further support network members in applying to the EIE RIV call by 17 October.

WG Documents

WG Documents

ERRIN Year in review 2022

The ERRIN Year in review 2022 is out! Read the report to see the numerous activities ERRIN and its members have been involved in throughout the year.

ERRIN input paper on the Implementation Report of the European Innovation Council

ERRIN's input paper on the Implementation Report on the European Innovation Council brings together the first comments and recommendations received from the various stakeholders from ERRIN members.

WG Related Content

WG Related Content

ERRIN Paper Series: Towards the 10th Framework Programme - EU Missions

ERRIN is pleased to launch a series of input papers on the 10th Framework Programme, with this paper focusing on EU Missions. ERRIN has been closely involved in the design and implementation of the EU Missions since their inception, making them a priority for the network. This input paper on the role of EU Missions in FP10 has been created with contributions from ERRIN members and their ecosystems.

ERRIN two-pager for European decision-makers

ERRIN is pleased to share a two-pager for the incoming European decision-makers, aiming to present the network and our value to the new MEPs, raising a voice for the importance of place-based R&I in the changing landscape. We encourage all ERRIN members to share the document with their MEPs to introduce ERRIN and the value of place-based R&I.

PRIMED - First open call for potential end users to obtain funding for testing and validating bio-based products

The PRIMED project has released its first open call to identify and engage potential end users interested in testing and validating bio-based ingredients and products. The open calls, offering a total amount of €500k, are split into €100k for each living lab, providing selected end-users for the opportunity to test and validate the added-value bio-based materials/chemicals/fuels/end products. The deadline for the application is on 30 September 2024.

Over 70 ERRIN member regions announced as Regional Innovation Valleys

On 19 June, the Commission announced the 151 regions identified as Regional Innovation Valleys following the call for EoI and calls for proposals in 2023. 75 successful regions come from ERRIN members. RIVs will aim to strengthen the regional innovation ecosystems, bridge the innovation gap and improve Europe's overall innovation performance. New calls for proposals under Horizon Europe are expected in 2025.

EIB's Circular City Centre (C3) initiative continues: support to thrive the circular transition in cities

The European Investment Bank is launching a new support phase of their Circular City Centre (C3) scheme. The C3 targets cities and the public sector promotors on their behalf and offers advice on their circular economy agenda and investment projects. Cities can benefit from guidance documents, resources, circular city advisory and capacity building workshops and project advisory services.

Launch of the new CCRI Knowledge Hub for Circular Economy

The Circular Cities and Regions Initiative has launched its Knowledge Hub to consolidate and expand the support activities made available for boosting circularity in European cities and regions. The CCRI Knowledge Hub will foster knowledge-sharing, mentoring, and capacity-building within the CCRI community and beyond.

Latest Updates

  • By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha

Five VIP Free Passes for the 3rd ECN CrowdCamp

The European Crowdfunding Network is offering five ERRIN members the opportunity to get a free access to the 3rd ECN CrowdCamp taking place on 28th and 29th June 2018 in Bologna (Italy).  This year's topic will be on the potential combinations between crowdfunding and ESIF, and how other alternative finance actors could also brought in the picture.  More information on the camp can be found here.

  • By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha

Regional examples of financial instruments - Key points from the I&I Meeting on 19 April

On 19th April, the ERRIN Innovation and Investment Working Group organised a meeting on "Regional examples of successful use of financial instruments" at the Common Representation of the European Region Tyrol - South Tyrol - Trentino in Brussels.

  • By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha

AM-motion and Vanguard Initiative are looking for experts to join a closed Financial Expert Working Group (Deadline: 5th April)

AM-motion and Vanguard Initiative are looking for experts to join a closed Financial Expert Working Group (see agenda attached herewith). If you have an expertise in the field and wish to participate, please get in touch with pierre.padilla@ideaconsult.be before 05/04/2018. Role.

  • By Bostjan Sinkovec

6th European Academic Symposium on EAF Steelmaking (EASES 2025)

The Laboratory of Control Systems and Cybernetics at the University of Ljubljana and the Department for Industrial Furnaces and Heat Engineering at RWTH Aachen University are organising the 6th European Academic Symposium on EAF Steelmaking in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This event will take place on 11-13 June 2025.

  • By Daniele Ruggiano

European Hydrogen Week 2024

Registrations are now open for the European Hydrogen Week 2024. This edition will count on three different conference streams: The High-Level Policy Conference, gathering high-level industry representatives and policymakers; the B2B Forum, the stage for market and technology perspectives on hydrogen deployment; and the newly added Innovation Hub, shedding the spotlight on research. This edition of the European Hydrogen Week will take place in Brussels, from 18 to 22 November 2024.

  • By Rebecca Timm

EURegionsWeek political workshop: Navigating smart and sustainable growth in cities and regions

Are you interested in learning more about how cities and regions navigate smart and sustainable growth? Join the Capital Cities and Regions Network (CCRN) during the European Week of Regions and Cities 2024. The event will take place in Brussels on 10 October, 09:30 - 11:00.