Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SCALEDEM (Scaling Democratic Innovations)
Période du rapport: 2024-12-01 au 2025-11-30
Democratic innovations have multiplied across Europe, including through publicly funded research and innovation projects, yet many proven approaches remain little known, difficult to adapt, or hard to embed in real institutional and political settings. ScaleDem addresses this “last mile” challenge by bridging research evidence and practical implementation needs, focusing on how democratic innovations can gain societal uptake and durability rather than simply being replicated.
The project’s overall objective is to build an evidence-based and usable understanding of scaling democratic innovations, combining systematic mapping of solutions and lessons from recent R&I projects with original comparative analysis of enablers and barriers across four scaling dimensions (out, high, deep and in), and translating this into an actionable “compass” for practitioners and policymakers. In parallel, ScaleDem creates a practical scaling infrastructure (“Scaling Grounds”) that supports testing, consolidation and learning in new operational environments through targeted support and cascade funding.
Expected impacts include stronger uptake and re-use of EU-funded democratic innovation results, reinforced cross-sector and interdisciplinary collaboration, and more accessible tools for decision-makers (e.g. policy-oriented roadmaps and communication products) to help strengthen citizen-centred democratic practices across diverse contexts. Social sciences and humanities are central throughout: ScaleDem mobilises SSH research to analyse democratic institutions and participation in context, and integrates this with practitioner and policy expertise to turn findings into operational guidance and implementable pathways for change.
The project’s overall objective is to build an evidence-based and usable understanding of scaling democratic innovations, combining systematic mapping of solutions and lessons from recent R&I projects with original comparative analysis of enablers and barriers across four scaling dimensions (out, high, deep and in), and translating this into an actionable “compass” for practitioners and policymakers. In parallel, ScaleDem creates a practical scaling infrastructure (“Scaling Grounds”) that supports testing, consolidation and learning in new operational environments through targeted support and cascade funding.
Expected impacts include stronger uptake and re-use of EU-funded democratic innovation results, reinforced cross-sector and interdisciplinary collaboration, and more accessible tools for decision-makers (e.g. policy-oriented roadmaps and communication products) to help strengthen citizen-centred democratic practices across diverse contexts. Social sciences and humanities are central throughout: ScaleDem mobilises SSH research to analyse democratic institutions and participation in context, and integrates this with practitioner and policy expertise to turn findings into operational guidance and implementable pathways for change.
During the first reporting period (December 2024–November 2025), ScaleDem focused on building the core analytical and operational foundations required to support the scaling of democratic innovations. On the research side, the project developed a structured R&D map of democratic innovations, delivered an analytical framework to diagnose impediments and enablers across four scaling dimensions (out, high, deep and in), and assembled a comparative evidence base combining in-depth analysis of around 70 exemplary cases already with a broader Qualitative Comparative Analysis covering around 300 cases, building on the work of Nets4Dem. The Map now includes more than 140 cases from previous R&I projects, and contacts have been established with their (former) project coordinator to learn from their experience.
In parallel, the project operationalised its “translation-to-implementation” approach by establishing the Translation Hub as a functioning transdisciplinary process and running an intensive co-design cycle (including two Potsdam Translation Workshops with consortium members, advisory board members and external end-users). This culminated in the successful delivery of the draft Twinning and Piloting programme call package (D2.1) which provided the basis for implementation-focused work to start immediately at the transition into RP2.
In parallel, the project operationalised its “translation-to-implementation” approach by establishing the Translation Hub as a functioning transdisciplinary process and running an intensive co-design cycle (including two Potsdam Translation Workshops with consortium members, advisory board members and external end-users). This culminated in the successful delivery of the draft Twinning and Piloting programme call package (D2.1) which provided the basis for implementation-focused work to start immediately at the transition into RP2.
In RP1, ScaleDem advanced beyond the state of the art by consolidating fragmented knowledge on democratic innovations into a structured R&D map and by developing an analytical framework that explicitly addresses multiple “scaling” pathways (out, high, deep and in), rather than treating scaling as simple replication or linear process. The project also strengthened the available evidence base through a combination of in-depth case analysis and comparative methods (including a larger QCA dataset building on existing mapping work), creating a more systematic basis for identifying enabling conditions and barriers to uptake across contexts.
At this stage, the main impacts are expected to materialise in RP2 and RP3 as empirical research is underway, and Scaling Grounds are in the process of being selected.
Key needs for further uptake therefore include: (i) completing and testing the practical tools (identified through the Map notably) with real-world implementers through the Piloting and Twinning programmes; (ii) maintaining strong feedback loops between evidence, practitioner experience and policy makers; and (iii) ensuring sustained engagement of relevant end-users through the Translation Hub activities, which will be deployed in RP2.
At this stage, the main impacts are expected to materialise in RP2 and RP3 as empirical research is underway, and Scaling Grounds are in the process of being selected.
Key needs for further uptake therefore include: (i) completing and testing the practical tools (identified through the Map notably) with real-world implementers through the Piloting and Twinning programmes; (ii) maintaining strong feedback loops between evidence, practitioner experience and policy makers; and (iii) ensuring sustained engagement of relevant end-users through the Translation Hub activities, which will be deployed in RP2.