SCL join forces with Eindhoven and Prag on ecosystems of innovation

SCL is part of the consortium behind a new EU project, COOPERATE, which during 2022-2024 will define and pilot the so-called ERA Hubs. The aim is to help build strong European ecosystems.

The European project COOPERATE kick-off meeting was held on 18-19 Jan 2023 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. All partners were represented and developed a common understanding of the ambitions with the project funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Program. The consortium is a 30-month project that will design, test and implement the ERA Hubs concept.

COOPERATE will define the ERA Hubs concept through co-creation arenas gathering quadruple helix actors from diverse ecosystems. The aim is to foster mutual understanding and cooperation around commonly defined lines of action. The involvement and active participation of stakeholders in these co-creation processes is considered key to ensure that the ecosystem and its actors are committed and work towards shared objectives.

A platform to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange across regions, sectors and disciplines will also be developed during the project. This platform will focus on knowledge production and circulation, talent mobility and absorption, as well as a better uptake and exploitation of research results. With a strong human-centred focus and an eye on societal needs.

The piloting phases will test the approach in three ecosystems across Europe to refine and consolidate the framework. These experiences will be the basis to develop policy recommendations for the future upscale of the ERA Hubs as a key European flagship initiative.

The consortium is composed of 7 partners from DTU Skylab, Science City Lyngby, Czech Technical University in Prague, IDEA Consult, STAMTECH S.R.L., Brainport Eindhoven and Eindhoven University of Technology.

The COOPERATE project is funded by Horizon Europe, the European Commission´s Framework Programme for R&I, under the WIDERA Work Programme (HORIZON-WIDERA-2022-ERA-01-30).