About the Flagship
This flagship aims to accelerate innovation and unlock excellence across the EU through various tools. It focuses on creating the basis for the emergence of connected regional innovation valleys across the EU, notably involving regions with a lower innovation performance, by building on strategic areas of regional strength and specialisation, in support of key EU priorities.
Fostering connected regional deep-tech innovation valleys across the EU
- Ongoing
- 15 May - 15 October 2025
Funding opportunities
- Summer 2026
New Regional Innovation Valleys
Regional Innovation Valleys bring together less innovative regions with more innovative ones to address the most burning challenges facing the EU, such as reducing the reliance on fossil fuels, increasing global food security, mastering the digital transformation (including cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence - AI), improving healthcare and achieving circularity.
So far, 147 regions have received the Regional Innovation Valleys label, recognising their commitment to enhancing coordination and directionality of their research and innovation (R&I) investment and policies.
Since 2023, five interregional projects are running and launching cascade funding calls, offering up to €600,000 in EU support to third parties. An additional six projects will start in 2026.
Total EU funding for Regional Innovation Valleys has reached nearly €160 million. This includes almost €43 million from the second wave under Horizon Europe.
Funding for this initiative has come from multiple sources: nearly €92 million from the European Innovation Ecosystems Work Programme (EIE WP), €5 million under WIDERA under Horizon Europe, and over €62 million from the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) instrument, under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for these valleys.
Find out more about the Regional Innovation Valleys
Open funding opportunities
Regional Innovation Valleys’ projects offer cascade funding opportunities for regional innovators addressing specific challenges.
Check whether you are eligible for Innovation Action funding (TRL 6–8). Terms and conditions apply.
- Open Call for Joint Interregional Projects on Personalised Medicine
- Open Call for Interregional Circular Economy Innovation Proposals
Projects
- UNITE - European Digital Health Valleys | Factsheet
- RIVCircular - Regional Innovation Valleys for Circular Economy | Factsheet
- PRECISEU - Personalised Medicine Empowerment | Factsheet
- ECIV - European Circular Innovation Valley | Factsheet
- SYSTEMEU - Fostering Systemic Innovation and Digital transformation across European innovation ecosystems | Factsheet
This action supported managing authorities of the cohesion synergies between cohesion policy programmes and Horizon Europe policy programmes, National Contact Points for Horizon Europe and project promoters to make a better use of opportunities to foster innovation in all regions. Through the integrated use of these key EU instruments, these synergies facilitated the deployment and uptake of advanced technologies funded through research and innovation programmes, and thereby increase their impact. The Commission notice of synergies between Horizon Europe and European Regional Development Fund programme.
Relevant links
Domain specific ecosystems
- Ongoing
- 1 March 2023
Signature of the Hydrogen Valleys Declaration
- 18 April 2023
Call for proposals closure
- May 2023
H2V.EU - 50+ EU hydrogen valleys presentation launch
As part of the REPowerEU Plan, the European Commission has committed to boosting breakthrough innovation in renewable and low carbon hydrogen, a key technology for breaking the reliance on fossil fuels. Drawing on a EUR 200 million top-up from Horizon Europe, the number of Hydrogen Valleys in the EU will, starting in the fourth quarter of 2022, be doubled to reach 50 by 2025. These will cover several hydrogen applications and combine into an integrated regional ecosystem covering the entire value chain, aligned to regional requirements. The existing hydrogen valleys established in the EU will also be connected with one another to accelerate the rollout of the hydrogen economy in the EU, with funding under the Connecting Europe Facility.
Relevant links
The Commission will establish a virtual Innovation Space: a one stop shop for innovation ecosystems’ stakeholders, to support the circulation of ideas and access to research results, highlight the demand and supply of innovative solutions, and connect stakeholders to facilitate collaboration. It will provide all stakeholders with information on innovation challenges and opportunities (technology and market trends, intellectual property, demand, etc.) and facilitate the identification of functionalities, services and funding opportunities, public or private, to support the translation of ideas into activities and projects.
EIC Scaling Club under EIC Scale Up 100
- Completed
- January 2024
Selection of companies completed
- March 2024
Announcement of selected companies during EIC Summit
- April 2024
Kick-off event launching the 1st cohort
- 21-22 October 2024
Under the European Innovation Council Scale Up 100, the EIC is setting up an EIC Scaling Club, an exclusive community of 100 European high-growth deep-tech champions and future unicorns. The Club will engage companies in a pan-European network of scalers to share their peer experience and obtain exposure at the European level. It will provide the selected companies with tailored coaching and access to quality business partners such as corporates and investors.
The participating companies will come from the portfolio of EIC Awardees and other national and European innovation programmes or beyond. They will be selected based on the transformative solution of their deep technologies and growth performance while respecting the cohort’s geographical diversity and the gender balance of the leading teams.
Following the EIC Scale 100 Forum in October 2024, 72 new members will join the Club, forming a fully curated community of 120 European deep-tech scale-ups.
Relevant links
EIC Scaling Club under EIC Scale Up 100
Member States and Associated Countries actions supporting the New European Innovation Agenda
At the Competitiveness Council in December 2022, following the adoption of Council Conclusions on New European Innovation Agenda (NEIA), the Commission launched a call to governments to announce actions in support of the NEIA. This announcement was based on the understanding that full support and engagement from the Member States and Associated Countries is needed to ensure the implementation of the NEIA.
The actions were gathered through the EIC Forum, a group of Member States and Associated Countries' public authorities and bodies in charge of innovation policies and programmes, with the aim of promoting coordination and dialogue on the development of the Union's innovation ecosystem.
Austria
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regional Innovation Valleys: national co-financing budget reserved | BMAW has reserved national co-financing budget to facilitate participation at regional level in ‚Regional Innovation Valley‘ calls of EIE-Program to signal support for regional level initiatives | National | Planned for future | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUM ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
| Flagship region WIVA (Hydrogen R&D; Vorzeigeregion WIVA P&G) | WIVA P&G, as one of the listed hydrogen valleys, pursues the goal of demonstrating the conversion of the Austrian economy to a largely CO2-neutral structure with the production and use of renewable hydrogen as an important component | Regional | Ongoing | Website |
Belgium
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supporting the development of Strategic Innovation Initiatives | To support the structuring of regional innovation ecosystems in S3 priorities of Wallonia and connect with strategic EU priorities | Regional | Ongoing | Website |
| Cofunding the participation of regional innovation stakeholders in EU networks and projects | Enhance the regional participation in EU networks, initiatives and programmes and connect regional policies to EU priorities | Regional | Ongoing | Website |
| Support to collaborative innovation projects | In the context of S3, support close-to-the-market collaborative innovation projects in Wallonia to accelerate market deployment of innovation (TRL6+) | Regional | Ongoing | Website |
Bulgaria
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovation Valley for Bioeconomy and Food in Plovdiv | Innovation valley for deep technologies in bioeconomy and food systems in Plovdiv, with 84 partners from the South-Central region of Bulgaria | Regional | Ongoing | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
| Hydrogen Innovation Valley in Stara Zagora | Innovation valley for effective deployment of hydrogen technologies in Bulgaria in view to the transition to circular economy | Regional | Ongoing | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
| Deep Technology Innovation Port Varna (DTIPV) - Varna University of Economics (UE-Varna) | Facilitating regional cooperation in the field of deep tech innovation | Regional | Ongoing | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
Croatia
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Research Conducted by Centres of Research Excellence | The aim is to promote the achievement of internationally recognised and nationally relevant research results of the centres of research excellence with a focus on the development of new technologies and their application in the economy, taking into account the latest European and global trends | National | Ongoing | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
| Operational Programme Competitiveness and cohesion | Under the Operational Programme Competitiveness and cohesion, cofounded by the Republic of Croatia and by the European Structural and Investment Funds, the aim is to invest in research, technology, and innovation infrastructure to support market-driven research and address the technology needs of the business sector. The emphasis is placed on applied research, technology transfer, and development of skills | National | Ongoing | Website |
Cyprus
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support to Centers of Excellence and other Research Institutes | Support creation of local excellence innovation ecosystems that will contribute to the further development of the R&I ecosystem through cutting-edge research and the production of innovative products with an impact on the wider economy | National | Ongoing | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
| Launch/operation of the central KTO | The Objective of the KTO is to offer a wide range of Knowledge Transfer and Commercialization Services to all R&I performing organizations in Cyprus, particularly connecting industry with academia as parts to strengthen the Cypriot Innovation Ecosystem | National | Planned for future | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
| State funding to private incubators like Cyprus Seeds, IDEA | Cyprus Seeds is a non-profit organization with the mission to help commercialize innovative academic research and accelerate and strengthening innovation | National | Ongoing | Website |
Czechia
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synergy actions | Support Seal of Excellence projects, promotion and support of European Partnerships | European | Ongoing | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
| Call for regional S3 projects | Support projects with transregional overlap/aim in close collaboration with regional innovation centres | Regional | Planned for future | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
Denmark
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cluster programme | The purpose of the cluster program is to strengthen the productivity and competitiveness of Danish companies, through cooperation on innovation and the transfer of knowledge between companies and knowledge institutions | National | Ongoing | Website |
| Regional business lighthouses | The business lighthouses focus on cultivating future positions of strength within the green area (e.g. biosolutions, water technology, CO2 capture), life sciences and robotics through support for concrete projects | National | Ongoing | Website |
| Innomissions | Green partnerships bring together the country's top researchers, companies and organizations to bring Denmark to the forefront in the field of storage and use of CO2, Power-to-X, climate- and environment-friendly agriculture and food production | National | Ongoing | Website |
France
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Innovation Clusters (poles universitaires d’innovation) | To increase the role of universities in structuring performing local innovation ecosystems | National | Ongoing | Website |
Georgia
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovation Voucher | The Innovation Voucher state grant competition is to facilitate connections between scientific and business circles and cooperation of SMEs with scientific-research institutes and centres and development of research-based innovations | National | Planned for future | Website |
| Pre-accelerator program | To strengthen the startup and innovation ecosystem, develop the entrepreneurial skills of the target groups and encourage their involvement in the generation and implementation of innovative ideas | National | Planned for future | Website |
Germany
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPCEI Hydrogen | This IPCEI inlcudes project submissions for generation plants with over two gigawatts of electrolysis capacity for the production of green hydrogen. Also included are innovative projects in the steel and chemical industries, and infrastructure and mobility | European | Ongoing | Website |
| Mission Innovation Hydrogen Valley Platform | The platform provides comprehensive insights into the most advanced and ambitious Hydrogen Valleys around the globe, with five hydrogen valleys having been created in Germany so far | European | Ongoing | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
Greece
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Partnerships for Regional Innovation-North Aegean | Enhance synergies and amplify impact across EU investment programmes | European | Ongoing | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
Hungary
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internationalising Hungarian research under the John von Neumann Programme | Renewing the Eötvös Loránd Research Network from a results-oriented perspective while preserving the multidisciplinary character of the network and renaming it to “Hungarian Research Network” to ensure that the independent Hungarian research network is easily and clearly identifiable by name among the members of both the domestic and international R&I ecosystem | National | Ongoing | Website |
| Focusing innovation investments on healthy living, twin green and digital transition and security | Action under the John von Neumann Programme aims at focusing innovation investments in Hungary on the areas of healthy living, twin green and digital transition and security | National | Ongoing | Website |
| Establishing the National Innovation Agency | Action under the John von Neumann Programme aims to create a key, catalytic and flexible organisation in the Hungarian innovation ecosystem, capable of assisting and supporting innovative ideas from their conception to their commercialisation, and capable of being the number one enabler of economic and social exploitation of the resources used in the field of innovation and science policy | National | Ongoing | Website |
Ireland
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFI ARC Programme | Drive regional development by accelerating cutting-edge researc in areas aligned with Ireland’s smart specialisation strategy and to develop entrepreneurial scientists and engineers to realise commercial opportunities and enhnce the impact of these on the economy | Regional | Ongoing | Website |
| KT Boost | Develop capacity and capability in the Technological University sector to support knowledge and technology transfer and associated outcomes | National | Ongoing | Website |
| National Space Strategy for Enterprise 2019 - 2025 | To develop an economically sustainable and expanding space-active industry, delivering quality jobs for the economy of tomorrow | National | Ongoing | Website |
Italy
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creating and strengthening "innovation ecosystems", building "local R&D leaders" | Create and strengthen place-based innovation ecosystems to enhance R&I capabilities and support the innovative growth of SMEs | National | Ongoing | Website |
| Enlarged partnerships between universities, research centres, businesses | Bolster research and innovation by new collaborations between universities, research centres and companies in order to promote a return of scientific research to the real economy | National | Ongoing | Website |
Luxembourg
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Startup Luxembourg | Startup Luxembourg promotes the Luxembourg startup ecosystem abroad and supports entrepreneurs to set up and expand from the heart of Europe | National | Ongoing | Website |
North Macedonia
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Policy Answers Project | To monitor and support policy coordination within the EU-WB cooperation and support the Western Balkans in strengthening their potential for successful participation in regional and multilateral research and innovation activities | Regional | Ongoing | Website |
Norway
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National public policy agencies for the business sector | To maximise the sustainable value creation in the economy through loans, guarantees, grants, equity investments and competence-enhancing measures to R&D projects, start-ups, scale-ups and export-oriented industries | National | Ongoing | |
| The Green Industrial Initiative | The Green Industrial Initiative is the Norwegian government’s road map that details how Norway is going to transform and develop its industry to realize the potential for value creation in selected “green” value chains | National | Ongoing | Website |
| Strategy for increased research and development in the Norwegian business enterprise sector | Startgey to increase the level of R&D in the Norwegian business enterprise sector through actions coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries | National | Planned for future | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
Portugal
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missão Interface (Interface Mission) | Aims to improve links between academia and business to strengthen knowledge flows and technology transfer, to promote value creation and to foster highly qualified employment | National | Ongoing | Website |
Slovenia
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strategic development and innovation partnerships | National | Planned | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
Poland
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Innovation Network- Industry Contact Points | Industry Contact Points are located in the research institutes being part of the Łukasiewicz Research Network, which connects 22 research institutes with a total of 4500 scientists and engineers. Industry Contact Points support entrepreneurs and scientists in applying for the EU financing for research and innovation under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme. Industry Contact Points also organise and participate in nationwide matchmaking, networking and brokerage events, which are addressed to domestic and foreign scientific and business partners | National | Ongoing | Website |
Spain
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants for Innovation Ecosystems | Promote the arrival to the economic-social environment of technological capabilities developed by the Technological Centres and promoting its value and the contribution to the consolidation of innovative ecosystems | National | Planned for future | EISMEA-RTD-EICFORUMec [dot] europa [dot] eu (Contact) |
| Cervera networks grants | Strengthen the innovation capacities of SMEs and medium-sized enterprises by contracting R&D activities to knowledge-generating centres or carrying out R&D projects in collaboration with these entities | National | Ongoing | Website |
| Local Innovation Agents | Ensure that the city councils of the Network of Cities of Science and Innovation (Innpulso network) have at least one person dedicated to the implementation of municipal innovation policies | Regional | Ongoing | Website |
Sweden
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinnväxt programme | Vinnväxt is a competition to promote sustainable growth in regions. With long-term funding, the regions must be able to coordinate business, academia and the public sector in order to increase the ability to develop and commercialise new knowledge and technology | National | Ongoing | Website |
Türkiye
| Title | Description | Scope | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAYEM – Industrial Innovation Networks | Establish a network of firms, especially those that contain an R&D and product design centre, with other players in the value chain, including end-users, technology development zones and universities | National | Ongoing | Website |
| Frontier R&D Laboratory Support Programme | Apply an integrated perspective that extends beyond a consideration of the initial, establishment phase of the R&D laboratory in order also to include the phase of sustaining the activities of R&D laboratories in the long-run | National | Ongoing | Website |