Periodic Reporting for period 1 - atTRACTION (ATtracting and connecting innovation ecosystem actors for international co-investments in advanced TRACTION of deep-tech companies from Wielkopolska, Lithuania and Andalusia.)
Reporting period: 2023-09-01 to 2025-02-28
The atTRACTION project, funded under the Horizon Europe call HORIZON-EIE-2022-SCALEUP-02-01, addresses a critical challenge in the European innovation landscape: the fragmentation and under-connectivity of regional deep-tech ecosystems in Wielkopolska (Poland), Lithuania, and Andalusia (Spain). These “modest” and “moderate” ecosystems suffer from limited access to capital, sparse investor networks, and insufficient collaboration between universities, corporates, and start-ups. Additionally, there is an urgent need for greater inclusivity and integration of diverse founders—including women and migrants—in innovation and investment communities.
The overarching goal of atTRACTION is to bridge the gap between these under-connected regions and leading European innovation hubs, notably in France (Île-de-France and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) and Germany (Baden-Württemberg and Berlin). The project fosters international co-investment opportunities, enhances deal flow quality and volume in deep-tech sectors, and builds a sustainable, inclusive investment ecosystem spanning multiple EU regions.
The overarching goal of atTRACTION is to bridge the gap between these under-connected regions and leading European innovation hubs, notably in France (Île-de-France and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) and Germany (Baden-Württemberg and Berlin). The project fosters international co-investment opportunities, enhances deal flow quality and volume in deep-tech sectors, and builds a sustainable, inclusive investment ecosystem spanning multiple EU regions.
The atTRACTION project has progressed significantly during the first 18 months, implementing a comprehensive set of actions designed to integrate less connected innovation ecosystems—Wielkopolska (PL), Lithuania (LT), and Andalusia (ES)—into a wider European deep-tech investment landscape.
1. In order to attract international investors, the project:
- organised 6 investor networking and pitching events (3 onsite, 1 online and 2 hybrid)
- mobilised 65 deeptechs to join the attraction community on EuroQuity platform and to promote their fundraising actions there, in addition 10 deeptech do not have their EuroQuity profile but participated the pitching events of atTRACTION, 18 most prominent deeptechs pitched in front of international investors ,
- developed of information kits and ecosystem-specific guidance for international investors to ease their involvement in the target regions.
This way the project brought following achievements:
- 56 international investors participated in project activities (vs. target of 10).
- 14 local investors engaged; 6 co-investment partnerships formed.
- 1 international investment deal finalised.
2. In order to build Local Ecosystem Alliances the partners identified and onboarded key regional stakeholders on the project actions and formed local "coalitions of allies" to support co-investment activities.
This way the project brought following achievements:
- 32 institutions (target: 15) engaged as “allies”.
- enhanced visibility and coordination across public, private, and academic actors.
3. For the strengthening cross-cystem connectivity the all the partners engaged actors from their ecosystem through mentoring and onboarded (exceeding targets) 9 TTOs and 17 accelerators. 15 corporates or public entities offering pilot opportunities were connected through the project. 1 pilot was implemented by a corporate and a startup (target: 5), with deviations due to overlapping local initiatives.
4. For boosting deal flow quality and quantity the partners scouted 106 of founders at prestartup stage of which 13 international pre-start-ups assessed as promising and invited to bootcamps.
1. In order to attract international investors, the project:
- organised 6 investor networking and pitching events (3 onsite, 1 online and 2 hybrid)
- mobilised 65 deeptechs to join the attraction community on EuroQuity platform and to promote their fundraising actions there, in addition 10 deeptech do not have their EuroQuity profile but participated the pitching events of atTRACTION, 18 most prominent deeptechs pitched in front of international investors ,
- developed of information kits and ecosystem-specific guidance for international investors to ease their involvement in the target regions.
This way the project brought following achievements:
- 56 international investors participated in project activities (vs. target of 10).
- 14 local investors engaged; 6 co-investment partnerships formed.
- 1 international investment deal finalised.
2. In order to build Local Ecosystem Alliances the partners identified and onboarded key regional stakeholders on the project actions and formed local "coalitions of allies" to support co-investment activities.
This way the project brought following achievements:
- 32 institutions (target: 15) engaged as “allies”.
- enhanced visibility and coordination across public, private, and academic actors.
3. For the strengthening cross-cystem connectivity the all the partners engaged actors from their ecosystem through mentoring and onboarded (exceeding targets) 9 TTOs and 17 accelerators. 15 corporates or public entities offering pilot opportunities were connected through the project. 1 pilot was implemented by a corporate and a startup (target: 5), with deviations due to overlapping local initiatives.
4. For boosting deal flow quality and quantity the partners scouted 106 of founders at prestartup stage of which 13 international pre-start-ups assessed as promising and invited to bootcamps.
The atTRACTION project has already demonstrated its strategic importance in advancing the connectedness, investment-readiness, and inclusivity of deep-tech ecosystems in Wielkopolska, Lithuania, and Andalusia. Looking forward, the project has the potential to create significant economic, societal, and policy-level impacts:
- Strengthened regional innovation ecosystems through the creation of structured alliances and access points for international investors.
- Enhanced capital flows into underrepresented regions and sectors, bridging gaps in early- and growth-stage financing for deep-tech.
- Increased international visibility of start-ups and ecosystem actors from modest/moderate regions via EuroQuity and pitching events.
- Greater inclusiveness of women and migrant entrepreneurs, contributing to more equitable innovation systems.
- Policy learning and institutional capacity building, especially via the collection of good practices and the development of policy recommendations to support broader replication.
- Strengthened regional innovation ecosystems through the creation of structured alliances and access points for international investors.
- Enhanced capital flows into underrepresented regions and sectors, bridging gaps in early- and growth-stage financing for deep-tech.
- Increased international visibility of start-ups and ecosystem actors from modest/moderate regions via EuroQuity and pitching events.
- Greater inclusiveness of women and migrant entrepreneurs, contributing to more equitable innovation systems.
- Policy learning and institutional capacity building, especially via the collection of good practices and the development of policy recommendations to support broader replication.