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CROSS BORDER LIVING LABS
Published on 24 January 2019
![Country flag flag](/themes/custom/interreg/images/flags/it.png)
Italy
Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Responding to a tender aimed at ‘driving innovation to ensure sustainable, high-quality public services in Europe’ the ‘cross border living lab’ was set up in March 2012 to:
• Develop a culture of partnership between innovative companies located on the Italian/French borders to improve their innovation capacity, productivity and international competitiveness.
• Encourage prototyping and testing of innovative products, services not yet existing on the market in the strategic sectors
The program aims to:
• Support the innovative enterprises in the phase of prototyping and industrialisation of new products and services.
• Reduce the risks and time to market for the introduction of innovative solutions in the market.
• Provide the regional and local public authorities with innovative technologies able to satisfy societal needs.
• Encourage and support experimentation, testing and validation of new products, services in real life conditions.
Eligibility Criteria: innovative SMEs with R&D activities in the target sectors specified in the tender; smart energies (alternative energy sources, energy efficiency) and intelligent mobility (car, transport and logistics sectors, territorial monitoring).
INITIAL PHASE Mapping
• STEP 1 Problem Solving/Dialogue for solution of problem 2 months
• STEP 2 R&D and Prototyping 6 months
• STEP 3 End user live testing in cross border ‘Living Lab’ conditions 6 months
• Develop a culture of partnership between innovative companies located on the Italian/French borders to improve their innovation capacity, productivity and international competitiveness.
• Encourage prototyping and testing of innovative products, services not yet existing on the market in the strategic sectors
The program aims to:
• Support the innovative enterprises in the phase of prototyping and industrialisation of new products and services.
• Reduce the risks and time to market for the introduction of innovative solutions in the market.
• Provide the regional and local public authorities with innovative technologies able to satisfy societal needs.
• Encourage and support experimentation, testing and validation of new products, services in real life conditions.
Eligibility Criteria: innovative SMEs with R&D activities in the target sectors specified in the tender; smart energies (alternative energy sources, energy efficiency) and intelligent mobility (car, transport and logistics sectors, territorial monitoring).
INITIAL PHASE Mapping
• STEP 1 Problem Solving/Dialogue for solution of problem 2 months
• STEP 2 R&D and Prototyping 6 months
• STEP 3 End user live testing in cross border ‘Living Lab’ conditions 6 months
Resources needed
Funding: €1.2M - EU Interreg Programme
Eligible SMEs were invited to tender for R & D projects with SMEs receiving an average of 80%, to a maximum of €137,500 of the investment needed.
Eligible SMEs were invited to tender for R & D projects with SMEs receiving an average of 80%, to a maximum of €137,500 of the investment needed.
Evidence of success
Empirical evidence to date suggests that it is an innovative methodology of financing R & D services and satisfying public needs.Long term aims i.e. sustainable benefits for the enterprises involved are expected to include improvements in their innovation capacity, productivity and international competitiveness.
Applications Submitted 9
Applications Accepted 5
Funding Granted to SMEs €750K
SME Investment in R&D and prototyping Approx. €1M
Applications Submitted 9
Applications Accepted 5
Funding Granted to SMEs €750K
SME Investment in R&D and prototyping Approx. €1M
Potential for learning or transfer
The program can be considered as a business model that can be replicated in other regions and countries with similar ‘smart specialization’ strategy.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
Organisation
Directorate Productive Activities Region Autonoma Valle d’Aosta
![Country flag flag](/themes/custom/interreg/images/flags/it.png)
Italy
Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste
Contact
senior project manager