Project Overview
At INNOVA, we are proud to coordinate EMPOWEREDbyNEIA, a European initiative designed to strengthen and connect innovation ecosystems across regions. The project focuses on fostering collaboration, aligning innovation policies, and empowering startups and SMEs in the field of sustainable and deep-tech innovation.
Through a dynamic combination of research, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning, EMPOWEREDbyNEIA builds bridges between regions, enabling knowledge exchange, joint action plans, and long-term cooperation across Europe.
Our Role & Contribution
As project coordinator, INNOVA leads the strategic direction, implementation, and stakeholder engagement across a consortium of 7 European innovation organizations.
We bring our expertise in: Innovation ecosystem development, Technology transfer and startup support, and EU project coordination and policy alignment.
Our mission is to ensure that regional ecosystems are not isolated, but interconnected, collaborative, and future-ready.
The Challenge
European innovation ecosystems often operate in fragmented ways, leading to: Limited cross-border collaboration, Gaps in innovation support systems, and Uneven access to funding and opportunities.
EMPOWEREDbyNEIA addresses these challenges by creating a structured, inclusive, and bottom-up approach to innovation, ensuring that regions can align with the New European Innovation Agenda and work towards shared goals.
Consultation Process
Impact & Results
EMPOWEREDbyNEIA is delivering measurable impact across Europe by:
- Strengthening interconnected innovation ecosystems
- Supporting deep-tech startups and SMEs
- Enhancing policy-making through real data and stakeholder insights
- Creating cross-border collaboration opportunities and funding pathways
- Promoting inclusive innovation, with a strong focus on underrepresented groups
The project ultimately contributes to building a more competitive, sustainable, and resilient European innovation landscape.
Project Information :
