European innovation policies are implemented through diverse initiatives, each deploying distinct instruments and investments. While this fosters adaptability, fragmentation hampers policy coherence and efficiency, creating regional disparities. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for better coordination, as European regions swiftly launched short-notice support initiatives for start-ups and SMEs, often leading to duplicated efforts and inconsistent policy frameworks.
To address these challenges, the New European Innovation Agenda (NEIA) was launched in July 2022, introducing a more integrated approach that aligns investments, policies, and instruments under five flagship initiatives: funding scale-ups, enabling innovation, strengthening ecosystems, fostering talent, and improving policy-making tools.
Aligned with NEIA, the EMPOWEREDbyNEIA initiative leverages regional strengths to drive systemic innovation at the European level, focusing on:
• Strengthening regional innovation ecosystems through collaboration networks.
• Interconnecting European innovation systems via long-term action plans.
• Aligning regional and European policies for coherent governance and economic growth.
The project, led by a consortium of seven partners from Italy, Austria, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Estonia, prioritizes Clean and Sustainable Tech innovation, aligning with EU priorities such as the Green Deal and digital transformation. Additionally, it addresses gender disparities in deep-tech, where only 10% of EU patents are filed by women, ensuring a more inclusive and equitable innovation ecosystem.
By establishing Joint Action Plans, the project aims to enhance policy alignment, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration mechanisms, driving long-term innovation-driven transformation across European regions.
