Cross-border collaboration strengthens Europe’s innovation capacity
The EU-funded project RISE – Resilient Innovation Ecosystems for EU Value Chains – has, after two years of work, reached its goal. Paper Province has been one of the partners in the collaboration, which has brought together actors from eight countries to strengthen Europe’s innovation chains and reduce gaps between regions.
Europe’s regions stand stronger together.
Through RISE, more than 100 small and medium-sized enterprises in 20 countries have received support to develop their ideas and take the step toward investment readiness. The work has resulted in 15 concrete investment cases, several related to sustainable construction, bio-based materials, and the circular bio-economy. In total, more than 1,000 actors have been mapped and connected within Europe’s innovation ecosystem.
A central part of the project has been to create conditions for long-term collaboration. Experience shows that trust, shared structures, and targeted support for small companies are crucial for innovation projects to reach the market.
– RISE has demonstrated that cross-border cooperation can transform innovation potential into concrete investments – especially when small and medium-sized enterprises receive practical support, mentorship, and opportunities to network. The next step is to ensure that these results are carried forward through future EU programs and regional innovation initiatives,
says Pirkka Junes, DIGIPOLIS.
Read the final press release here >>
About the RISE Project
The RISE initiative brings together European actors to accelerate development and create new innovation ecosystems in the selected regions of Bulgaria, Portugal and Slovenia. The aim is, among other things, to achieve more sustainable manufacturing and more bio-based solutions.