Research and Innovation, Axis 1

Priority Axis 1 focuses on strengthening the regional research and technology network and knowledge and its transfer to companies in the region. Measures are aimed at increasing businesses’ capacity to introduce new solutions and new products with collaborations with research partners, promoting innovation directions in strategic areas of the regional production system, strengthening the High-Tech Network, facilitating the use of innovation laboratories and centres through international networking and participation in European programmes such as Horizon 2020 and COSME, as well as supporting high-tech start-ups.

Priority objectives

This Priority Axis has several objectives:

• to foster the technological capabilities of High-Tech Network labs by acquiring new instruments;
• to increase businesses’ innovation activities by supporting their research projects, the acquisition of technological innovation services, the adoption of innovative procesess and product solutions, as well as research and development projects in collaboration with research partners (centres, universities, etc);
• to improve the regional and national innovation system by supporting participation among regional actors in specialised technology networks and in complex projects;
• to support the creation and consolidation of high-tech start-ups.

This Priority axis has been allocated €289.1 million up to December 31, 2020. In May 2020, the ERDF ROP financial plan has been modified by moving resources equal to €8.3 million from Axis 4 to Axis 1. This reprogramming is part of various regional initiatives to support industrial research in response to Covid-19 healthcare emergency. In November 2020, a new action has been included in Priority Axis 1 to support the regional health system in tackling the pandemic, with further rescheduling which resulted in increasing resources - from €148.9 to €289.1 million. This important EC-approved maneuver secured the finalisation of ongoing projects providing funding under the National Development and Cohesion Fund.

State of play and Current results

 

Projects

Companies, research labs, start-ups, Technopoles and Clust-ER associations have carried out projects to strengthen the regional research and innovation ecosystem, very often playing a key role in their implementation.

• Some project examples

Opportunities