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

The Entrepreneurial Mission-Oriented State: Lessons from Covid19

A conversation about the economic recovery from COVID-19 between Director-General for Research and Innovation Jean-Eric Paquet and Professor Mariana Mazzucato will take place online this week.

Annual Strategy Workshops - co-designing priorities and activities for 2021

To start planning the activities in the WGs for 2021, the WG leaders will meet according to the clusters to discuss the policy context, project development, and possible topics for the year ahead. All members are warmly invited to provide input in advance.

RTO Innovation Summit

An upcoming conference in Brussels will turn to applied research and innovation to develop solutions for competitiveness, sustainability, leadership in the Digital Age and brining about the green deal.

SME Assembly 2020

Two-days of policy workshops, roundtables and lectures will make up the upcoming SME Assembly.

European Cluster Conference 2020

The European Cluster Conference 2020 is a unique chance to discuss and share about current and future priorities for cluster policies and developments to support sustainable industry development, interregional cooperation and to build connections between Europe’s value chains, clusters and ecosystems. 

I&I WG webinar: Opportunities for innovative SMEs in the new programming period

The webinar will explore two instruments: InvestEU and the EU Partnership on Innovative SMEs, and the new opportunities they will bring to innovative SMEs in the 2021-2027 programming period.

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

Horizon Europe strategic plan 2025-2027 is out

On 20 March, the Commission adopted the second Horizon Europe strategic plan. The plan sets out three key strategic orientations for the EU's research and innovation funding for the last three years of the programme (2025-2027). Find out what novelties the new strategic plan brings.

Express your interest in the 3rd Interreg Europe call via the ERRIN Project Development Tool

Interreg Europe's 3rd call for proposals, launched on 20 March, supports interregional cooperation projects addressing common regional development challenges. Organisations can use the ERRIN Project Development tool to express interest and find partners. The call is open until 7 June 2024.

Systems to quantify nitrogen fluxes and uncertainties in European landscapes

Call for Partner interest under the Mission Soil calls, focusing on Systems to quantify nitrogen fluxes and uncertainties in European landscapes.

Marching towards FP10 – ERRIN activity update

As we enter March and approach the European R&I Days, several ERRIN activities planned for 2024 with a link to FP10 have already taken place, and more are on their way. Have a look at an update with the outcomes of our recent work on the next European Framework Programme for R&I, next steps and opportunities to get involved.

EU's Knowledge Ecosystems: A Regional Stakeholder Survey

The ERA FABRIC project, which aims to define the ERA Hubs concept across Europe, launched a survey for regional stakeholders to identify the most recurrent characteristics and parameters of excellence of European knowledge ecosystems. ERA Hubs concept remains of particular interest for ERRIN. The survey will be open until 10 March 2024.

Rural toolkit - Guide to EU funding and support opportunities

The Rural toolkit is a comprehensive gateway to EU funding and support initiatives available for rural areas in the EU. The Rural toolkit is the comprehensive guide to EU funding and support opportunities for rural areas in the European Union. It aims to help local authorities, institutions and stakeholders, businesses and individuals to identify and take advantage of existing EU funds, programmes and other funding and support initiatives, and to foster development in rural territories.

Latest Updates

  • By Valentine Willmann

Building a Hydrogen Economy in Scotland and Germany

Scotland House Brussels is organising a series of events focussing on ‘the road to COP 26'. The months leading to COP 26 in Glasgow are critical for galvanising global ambition and building consensus on the approach needed to tackle the global climate emergency, to deliver a Green Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and to rapidly and fairly transform our societies and economies. The second webinar of our series, in collaboration with Scotland House Berlin and Hydrogen Europe will focus on the role hydrogen will play in delivering Scotland’s, Germany’s and the EU’s net zero ambitions.

  • By Ilaria d'Auria

I&I WG: Exploring the European Innovation Council

The first I&I WG meeting of 2021 is a unique opportunity to receive first-hand information from two EIC Programme Managers involved in the development of the EIC Work Programmes.

  • By Hilary Webb

Boosting experimental innovation policy to encourage SME growth in Europe

As part of EU Industry Week 2021, The European Commission is hosting an online event on boosting experimental innovation policy to encourage SME growth in Europe. 

  • By Hilary Webb

The importance of the EU regions to Welsh Innovation - A practical approach

To mark St David's Day, Wales' national holiday, a discussion will take place on the subject of Welsh innovation, particularly in relation to its collaboration with EU partners. 

  • By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha

Industry 4.0 - a key element for a green transition

The session will present challenges and obstacles that the industry is facing in the field of the green transition and explore possible solutions and new paths of collaborations between R&I and industry 4.0, that could support the decarbonisation.

  • By Lucía HUERTAS

EU Industry days: Scaling up SMEs in the midst of Corona

The Region of Murcia Brussels Office / INFO on behalf of the Scale Up consortium invites ERRIN members to attend a session on Scaling up SMEs in the midst of Corona during the 2021 EU Industry Days.