The main activities conducted in Year 1 of NATI00NS were a series of linked engagement, training and capacity building activities: National engagement events, engaging potential applicants before the deadline for the first call for Living Lab topics, were organised in 42 countries and joint materials were produced all in national languages. Five factsheets on the concept and their specific role of Living Labs and lighthouses were produced and presented. Three webinars were held to support for stakeholders engaging in a Living Lab, focusing on setting up, governance and core elements of Living Labs. Matchmaking Portal was created to facilitate consortium building, providing support for matchmaking of likeminded Living Labs in preparation. The Helpdesk was set up online to address frequently asked questions, providing support until the closure of the 2023 Living Lab topics. Additionally, NATI00NS Mentors were selected in 18 EU or Associated countries to assist applicants at the national level.
Overall, the main achievements of these activities are that NATI00NS has spurred major awareness across Europe as regards knowledge of the Mission Soil, the Living Lab concept, and the criteria for applying for the soil health Living Lab topics. The high number of applications (44, higher than expected) submitted for the first two topics for Living Labs was partly due to NATI00NS activities, from NEEs to training to matchmaking support (see survey among coordinators of proposals under Impact).