Project title
Balkan Med Interregional Innovation Ecosystem for maturing and mainstreaming innovative entrepreneurial ideas in Agrifood sector
Funding code
AGROINNOECO
Start date
January 1, 2017
Expected Completion
2019-12-31
Description
High unemployment rates, both on total active population and on youths, is the main common concern as it also generates negative side effects affecting social cohesion of the whole programme area. On the other hand, Small and Medium Enterprises represent the most important source of employment in the cooperation area and are important drivers for growth and jobs’ creation. Also, territorial disparities are a stimulus for cooperation as opposite trends can create development dynamics. More specifically, all 5 countries show key agriculture activity, which can be a formidable testing basis through transnational cooperation, not just for sustainable growth but also for innovation. In this context, all 7 partners willing to improve territorial competitiveness, while promoting and supporting the emergence of SMEs. The aim is to enable entrepreneurs to seize ITCs’ potential and acquire the necessary tools to boost their competitiveness, to grow towards other markets and introduce innovation in all phases of their business cycle. The motive is to prepare the ground for educational and training initiatives for the upgrading of the human resources and regional sustainable socio-economic development. The project foresees the constitution of the 3ple helix approach (policy–academic research–entrepreneurship), complemented by business support that will facilitate the identification, maturing and promotion of innovative entrepreneurial ideas in Agrifood sector. The project addresses the issue of pre-incubation in Agrifood Sector as a necessary step for filling the existing gap between institutes of higher education and development structures, for the facilitation of innovation transfer. Pre-incubators can provide a risk-reduced environment where innovative ideas with commercialization potential, generated by young innovators and existing entrepreneurs, can be further developed for market viability before founding a company. Pre-incubators can be an important mechanism for providing the necessary knowledge and skills to young innovators and to existing innovative entrepreneurs, in order to start their own enterprise. Primary result of the project is the creation of a network of experts in entrepreneurship, innovation and entrepreneurial education for knowledge transfer. The project will develop innovation, culture and cooperation in the Agrifood sector, as also a viable, feedback mechanism for the detection and maturation of the innovative business ideas and a permanent mechanism for networking and extroversion of the Agrifood innovative business ideas and investors.