This call is for Strand 2a and focuses on reinforcing the integration of innovation actors from less developed regions in developing EU value chains. The term “value chain” is associated with both, a set of interdependent economic activities creating added value around a product, process or service, and a group of interlinked economic actors, operating in a strategic network across firms of different sizes, including SMEs, sectors and borders. (Strategic Forum for Important Projects of Common European Commission: Report of the Strategic Forum for Important Projects of Common European Interest) while creating local opportunities for innovation and smart economic transformation in regions with shared (or complementary) smart specialisation areas.

The objective of the I3 Instrument Strand 2a call for proposals is to support interregional innovation investments by offering consortia of innovation actors from the quadruple helix ecosystems[1] the necessary financial and advisory support to bring their innovations to a more mature level, ready for commercialisation and scale-up, while bridging and reducing the innovation divide in Europe with a strong cohesion policy focus of integrating all regions and in particular the less developed regions into European value chains.

Thereby, applications under this call seek to facilitate:

the support of innovation actors with investment ideas that are ready to be developed into mature business cases;

the identification of new regional technological domains and market opportunities with the EU priorities and bridging the gap between the supply and demand sides to help innovation ecosystems overcome market failures;

the creation of new value chains in less developed regions and the integration into interregional and cross-border value chains with more developed regions;

the application and the deployment of innovative technologies and solutions in less developed regions;

the interaction and collaboration of SMES from less developed regions in interregional/multi-national value chains and with innovation actors form more developed regions.

I3 Instrument business investment cases start with a minimum TRL 6 and have the ambition to facilitate demonstration and to accelerate market uptake and commercialisation. The development of the business and investment cases is facilitated by the regional innovation ecosystems with companies in the lead.

Thematic priorities

• Digital transition or
• Green transition or
• Smart manufacturing