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PROJECT & OBJECTIVES
Project

The main objective of CAFEIN is to define, design and adopt an inclusive and cross border joint action plan to support the green industrial transition for the European SMEs. In accordance with the goals of making Europe climate neutral by 2050, national cluster associations will act as facilitators and innovation ecosystem experts for national funding agencies, the final adopters of the joint action plan.

In doing so, the associations of clusters will engage and connect all stakeholders of the quadruple helix (public authorities, start-ups, SMEs, large companies, investors, research and innovation actors, academia, incubators and business service providers).

The bottom-up approach of the association of clusters will support national funding agencies (members of the project’s Innovation Funding Advisory Board) in approving a joint action plan to foster circular economy approaches, resource efficiency and resilience, building European industrial value chains. Citizens will be included as well.

OBJECTIVES

Three are the specific objectives of CAFEIN:

  • Propose a bottom-up perspective for the alignment of innovation agenda at national level, allowing the project to make recommendations based on the concrete SMEs’ needs.
  • Support the coordination of innovation agendas for countries with a different level of innovation from leader to emerging. The partners represent regional/national actors from all the EU’s innovation categories: “innovation leaders”, “strong innovators”, “moderate innovators” and “modest innovators”. This approach will enable tackling the transition challenges faced by the entire European society and reduce the gap between the different innovation ecosystems.
  • Include all quadruple helix stakeholders through the participation of clusters, funding agencies, regions and local innovation intermediaries.
WORK PACKAGES
WP1
Comparative study of innovation policies and SME needs
Provide a clear assessment and mapping of the innovation policies and funding mechanisms across the five partners territories relevant to green industrial transition challenges; Gather data and perform an analysis of current SMEs needs; Establish recommendations and highlight areas of …
  • Provide a clear assessment and mapping of the innovation policies and funding mechanisms across the five
    partners territories relevant to green industrial transition challenges;
  • Gather data and perform an analysis of current SMEs needs;
  • Establish recommendations and highlight areas of cooperation where the consortium has a real added value;
  • Create and animate a regular dialogue between the cluster associations and the IFAB.

Lead Beneficiary:

WP2
Innovation Founding Advisory Board (IFAB)
Open the dialogue, raise awareness prepare the ground and facilitate the agreement among Member States, Associated Countries and EU regions towards more connected innovation ecosystems Foster the alignment of national public funding among the Members States of the EU Provide …
  • Open the dialogue, raise awareness prepare the ground and facilitate the agreement among Member States,
    Associated Countries and EU regions towards more connected innovation ecosystems
  • Foster the alignment of national public funding among the Members States of the EU
  • Provide insights on national funding innovation policies on green and industrial transition challenges
  • Animate a regular platform of cooperation between private and public entities about innovation
  • Participate in the establishment of a joint 5-years action plan aligned with national priorities and addressing EU’s main challenges

Lead Beneficiary:

WP3
Building a joint action programme
Definition of the 5-year programme; EU Replicability; Synergies with EU and national funding programmes; Mapping of the co-funding opportunities for the implementation of the joint action plan; Drafting of the action plan.
  • Definition of the 5-year programme;
  • EU Replicability;
  • Synergies with EU and national funding programmes;
  • Mapping of the co-funding opportunities for the implementation of the joint action plan;
  • Drafting of the action plan.

Lead Beneficiary:

WP4
Impact maximisation
Communication and dissemination strategy; Set-up of the communication and dissemination tools; Matchmaking of European innovation ecosystems; Communicating towards citizens.
  • Communication and dissemination strategy;
  • Set-up of the communication and dissemination tools;
  • Matchmaking of European innovation ecosystems;
  • Communicating towards citizens.

Lead Beneficiary:

WP5
Monitoring and management of project implementation
Coordination; Data and open science management; Financial reporting.
  • Coordination;
  • Data and open science management;
  • Financial reporting.

Lead Beneficiary: