During this year’s #EURegionsWeek 2024, our session, “How Knowledge Ecosystems Can Enhance a Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Development of European Regions“, brought together over 100 participants to explore how European regions can leverage the #ERAHubs concept to boost regional innovation. The session featured insightful contributions from:

• Pirita Lindholm, Director of the ERRIN Network, who emphasized the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration and the role of innovation ecosystems in achieving sustainable, region-based growth across Europe.
• Lorenzo Dorato, representative of ISSiRFA-CNR, who shared key findings from territorial case studies across Europe, highlighting the significance of ERA Hubs in aligning research, policy, and innovation towards the EU’s Green Deal objectives.

Key highlights included:

• The Role of ERA Hubs: As multi-stakeholder platforms, ERA Hubs integrate regional knowledge ecosystems, fostering open innovation and sustainable practices across public, private, and academic sectors.
• Case Studies: Examples from regions like Norway (RENERGY Cluster) and Austria (Bioeconomy Austria) demonstrated how ecosystems are driving green transitions, creating synergies between public and private actors, and tackling economic and environmental challenges.
• Multi-Level Governance and Directionality: Aligning local, regional, and EU-level policies is essential to achieving holistic, sustainable growth. ERA Hubs help bridge regional actors to ensure coordinated efforts in meeting the EU’s sustainability goals.

We invite all stakeholders to join us in building these ecosystems for a sustainable European future. Stay tuned for more insights and subscribe to our newsletter.