Towards a leading Europe in breakthrough innovation.

Project Information

WIRE 2022

Grant agreement ID: 101081181

DOI

10.3030/101081181

Project closed

EC signature date 5 May 2022

Start date 6 February 2022

End date 5 December 2022

Funded under

• Widening participation and spreading excellence

Total cost

€ 454 924,33

EU contribution

€ 250 000,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITE PARIS-SACLAY
France

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - WIRE 2022 (Towards a leading Europe in breakthrough innovation.)

Reporting period: 2022-02-06 to 2022-12-05

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE) is the main European policy forum for innovation and regional development. The conference provides a platform for policy-makers, public authorities, knowledge centres, and enterprises to discuss research and innovation practices, challenges, and opportunities throughout the European regions. This year’s conference, the twelfth edition, was under the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It took place from 11 to 13 May 2022.The theme was “Towards a leading Europe in breakthrough innovation: unleashing the potential of regions”.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The format chosen for this edition of WIRE :
• plenary sessions
• workshops in parallel, where the number of participants will be around 100 to 120, with two or three speakers, one moderator, and one rapporteur
• panel discussions: live, in-person discussions on a specific topic with a selected group of experts who share differing perspectives in front of an audience
• networking breaks during the coffee breaks, lunches, etc.
• and lab visits

A very important role was identified from the start of the project: explain how this conference could help participants disseminate good practices to allow the EU to become a leader in breakthrough innovation, unleashing the potential of regions.
Several impacts were identified: scientific, societal, and economic impacts. The orientations of the 2022 WIRE conference were to increase the level of knowledge of all the stakeholders in all of these domains, focusing on the power of regions more specifically. The idea was to enhance access to research and innovation excellence and enhance links between innovation ecosystems across the EU.

Concerning the scientific impact, the WIRE conference was expected to promote scientific excellence, as well as support the creation and sharing of new, high-quality fundamental and applied knowledge and skills. The conference presented talents at all levels.
In terms of the societal impact, the Wire conference aimed to strengthen the impact of R&I in presenting and supporting Union policies, and support the uptake of innovative solutions in industry, notably in SMEs and society to address global challenges, inter alia the SDGs.

The conference presented and gave examples of pathways to reach these goals for each of these impacts.

We insisted on best practices, examples of companies that have succeeded in managing breakthrough innovation, and best practices in regions that have managed to create a flourishing ecosystem for innovation.

The aim of the conference was to provide a platform for policy-makers, public authorities, knowledge centres, and companies from all over Europe to discuss R&I practices, challenges, and opportunities throughout European regions, with a direct view to current and future EU funding programmes.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The conference outcomes consisted of:
–Developing links between stakeholders (public authorities, including regional authorities, companies, and universities) and participants. These local participants (at regional and national levels) have different tools among Member States, and different processes. Therefore, the establishment of a European strategy is not easy and the level of complexity is high. One of the outcomes of the conference was to help reduce this.
–Questioning private and public players, particularly at national and European levels, to significantly develop innovation funding for the benefit of all regions in Europe (i.e. beyond the EIC).
Having a discussion to rationalise legislation, to avoid a major fragmentation of the innovation market, and to involve European actors in defining global standards in areas of breakthrough innovation for regions.
–Establishing relationships between university ecosystems and companies with a view to launching actions to train for innovation and prepare a large pool of European talent for innovation which will serve the European regions.