Asturias aims to integrate and even manage a European regional consortium to promote innovation in the field of green industry. science consultant borja sanchezyesterday, at a telematic meeting with representatives of the European Committee of the Regions, he expressed the interest of the Principality Government to participate in a new call consisting of: creating “regional innovation valleys” across the continent. In total, six super-regions will be funded for the period 2023-2024, whose application deadline will end on October 17, and will receive between 8 and 12 million euros each. At least 50% of this amount should go to the development of three interregional projects in their area of expertise.
“Since last year, we have been participating in a regional EU innovation project with the target set in this call. We believe that one of our main strengths is the symbiosis between industry and ecosystem,” said the consultant. This is why the circular and carbon neutral industry has been chosen as the central axis of the future consortium. “This is certainly one of our goals in the Principality: to protect our industrial GDP, to support the transition to a greener industry with the help of science and innovation, and to ensure that all this coexists with the landscapes and protected areas that characterize Asturias.” Borja Sanchez.
The Asturian nomination will be led by the new Agency for Science, Business Competitiveness and Innovation (“Sekuens”) and will have the participation of the University of Asturias. Oviedothrough the European super-campus “Ingenium”, which it manages and integrates with nine other academic institutions in the EU. Certainly, the consortium aiming to create Asturias is something similar to Ingenium, but at a regional level. It is about looking for partners in other countries – with characteristics similar to our community – and launching joint projects in this case innovation and green industry.
So the next step will be to find these sister regions and for this it starts with the advantage that the University of Oviedo joined forces with institutions from Germany, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Romania a few months ago. and Sweden. He even attended the meeting yesterday. eva pandoas the executive director of the “Sekuens” Agency and main isabel alvarezAs the manager of the “Ingenium” super campus.
To achieve this ambitious goal, the principality will celebrate the 21st and 22nd of this month at the Laboral Centro de Arte de Gijón. It will include representatives of the research policy centers of the European Union.
As detailed by the Minister of Science, There are two ways to become a regional valley. Innovation: Through the call for Interregional Investments in Innovation (I3) and Interconnected Regional Ecosystems (EIE). Adding the two together makes the total budget 170 million euros, of which 122 were called on May 17, but the deadline doesn’t end until October 17. In the specific case of the EIE call, a regional consortium must be formed, comprising at least five regional or national officials from at least as many other member states or associated countries. Additionally, two of these regions must be emerging or moderate innovators, and one of them must be strong or lead innovator, according to the Regional Innovation Scoreboard.
“We will try to position Asturias in this call with a proposal we can be strong on and a model we will follow, especially because of our ability to connect biodiversity in a region with protected areas, with a neutral industry focused on reducing carbon,” Borja Sánchez underlined.