An inclusive innovation ecosystem in the carbon-neutral Vaasa region

The ecosystem agreements are a part of the Government's initiatives aimed at positioning Finland as the world's foremost environment for experimentation and innovation by 2030. These agreements bolster the establishment of appealing competence clusters and innovation hubs, alongside fostering the integration of Finnish actors into international RDI networks and value chains. They are intended to cultivate innovation ecosystems, characterized by close collaborative networks, reinforcing key areas of expertise, and enhancing the impact of research and innovation (RDI) in an urban-oriented manner.

The project's objective is to coordinate the development initiatives within the Vaasa innovation ecosystem in alignment with the program. It ensures that the executed projects efficiently advance the strategy's priorities, foster an inclusive operating culture among the ecosystem's stakeholders, including new companies and actors, and guarantee that projects outlined in the ecosystem agreement generate fresh initiatives and innovations.

Moreover, the project aims to deepen existing collaborations with national and international networks while forging new partnerships that contribute to fulfilling the objectives outlined in the ecosystem agreements.

Upon completion of the project, operations aligned with the ecosystem agreement will be congruent with the strategy and resource-efficient. Furthermore, an increasing number of SMEs will be engaged with the initiatives of the innovation ecosystem, and a pilot project for EU funding application procedures will be conducted. Additionally, groundwork for a potential flagship project has been laid out.