In line with the new European Innovation Agenda's goals of accelerating and strengthening innovation within European Innovation Ecosystems and addressing innovation disparities, the European Commission aims to designate the label of Regional Innovation Valleys (RIV) to 100 regions committed to enhancing the coordination and directionality of their R&D investments and policies at the regional level.
For the Regional Innovation Valleys initiative, the European Commission has allocated a budget of €170 million, with a specific budget of €60 million defined for the "HORIZON-EIE-2023-CONNECT-03-01: Implementing co-funded action plans for connected regional innovation valleys" call within the framework of the European Innovation Ecosystems program.
On September 12, 2023, the European Commission will host an online matchmaking event for the territories interested in becoming RIVs.
The event aims to create opportunities for participants to establish connections. The event will facilitate networking around the five challenges identified by the New European Innovation Agenda: reducing reliance on fossil fuels, enhancing global food security, managing digital transformation (including cybersecurity), improving healthcare, and achieving circularity.
The target audience for the matchmaking event is national and regional innovation authorities. Participating institutions should keep in mind that they represent the innovation ecosystem of their respective regions.
Registrations for the event will remain open until September 6, 2023. To register for the event and obtain more information, click here.