SMART
Creating a smarter Europe means promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity.
Our programme helps local, regional and national governments across Europe to develop and deliver better regional development policies in this field.
We create opportunities for sharing solutions to regional development issues, for exchanging good practices and for policy learning via our two pillars: our interregional cooperation projects and our Policy Learning Platform.
Scroll below to capitalise on the knowledge they've gained, take part in upcoming capacity building opportunities or apply for your own project proposal.
Discover the SMART sub-topics we address and click on the link to find all related resources on our website.
Projects and project ideas
Get inspired by our approved projects or explore one of these SMART project ideas. Then, discover how you can get involved in interregional cooperation by preparing your own project proposal.
Policy solutions
Explore all the policy solutions our projects and policy experts have identified on the topic of SMART. Read through our policy briefs and good practices. Watch our webinar recordings. Download the conclusions for past workshops and peer reviews.
Good practices
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Digitalization Master Class, a development program aimed at manufacturing companies
Digitalization Master Class is a development program aimed at manufacturing companies that want to make their production processes more efficient.
“Mature Your PhD”: a challenge for testing potential R&D tech transfer project
Created by SATT Conectus, the “Mature your PhD” challenge aims to help PhD students turn their thesis into an R&D tech transfer project.
UNIZAR research results evaluation methodology
A methodology designed for properly assessing the transferability potential of research results.
Gondosóra program (Careful Watch Programme)
Gondosóra programme is a free service, accessible to people over 65, living in their own homes, for indicating their need for help with the touch of a button.
Scouting Public Lab Inventions: Bridging Innovation in Grand Est
Identify innovative research results with potential for technology transfer through a practice of scouting inventions directly in university laboratories.
Andalucía Lab. Technology and Tourism HUB
Specialized agency to support tourism SMEs to digitize and promote a travel tech ecosystem to develop a sustainable and innovative vision of the sector.
Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) Slovenia
DIH Slovenia connects and supports knowledge, business, technologies and other activities to enable industries in building digital competencies and innovation.
GENIUS – An Annual Conference on Gender Equality in Värmland
GENIUS is Sweden’s largest regional conference on gender equality. It is organised in Värmland once a year for people to meet, be inspired and make contacts.
Attraktionskraft Värmland – an investment to strengthen the future supply of skills
Attraktionskraft Värmland is a project where Region Värmland, cluster organisations and private sector work together to secure the future supply of skills.
Investment grant for diversification of economic activity in rural areas
An instrument to motivate entrepreneurs to create new jobs in rural areas outside the traditional agricultural sector
Circular Fashion Agreement in Catalonia. First year of action
The first year of deployment of the Agreement has developed several initiatives concerning shared objectives among different links of the textile value chain.
The Innovation clusters’ ecosystem of the Piedmont Region
The Piedmont Region Innovation Ecosystem: a cluster of clusters
Climate Toolkit 4 Business
Climate Toolkit 4 Business helps SMEs get started on their zero-carbon journey by recommending the most impactful steps to address environmental impacts.
aws Seed - Deep Tech
Seed – Deep Tech supports innovative start-up ideas that generate a technological impact.
Green National Champions Project
The Green National Champions is a support for the technological development of micro, too medium-sized enterprises operating in the field of the green economy.
SMART policy solutions
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Digital transformation of public services
This policy brief provides a general overview of the most relevant initiatives, regulations, and strategies of the European Union, which are shaping Europe’s digital future.Research valorisation
In this policy brief, you will find policy recommendations to inspire policymakers in designing and delivering effective policies for research valorisation.Entrepreneurial Universities: Key learnings
On 14 March 2024, the Policy Learning Platform organised a webinar on the topic of Entrepreneurial Universities: spinoffs and technology transfer.Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) within a multi-level perspective in East Flanders
The Policy Learning Platform conducted a peer review for the Province of East Flanders in Ghent, Belgium, held on 6-7 March 2024. The Province of East Flanders sought inspiration for the effective implementation of its Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) within a multi-level perspective.Challenge-driven innovation to promote university-industry collaboration
The Policy Learning Platform conducted a peer review for the Autonomous Region of the Azores, Portugal, held on 30-31 January 2024. The Azores government sought inspiration to promote challenge-driven innovation policies for university-industry collaboration.Twin transition for SMEs: Key learnings
On 30 January 2024, the Policy Learning Platform organised a webinar on the topic of the twin transition for SMEs.Cultural and Creative Industries
In this policy brief, you will find policies to promote strategic development of CCIs, to facilitate access to funding, and to foster innovation-friendly infrastructure and environments.New financial instruments to support development of enterprises in Usti Region
On 14-15 November 2023, the Policy Learning Platform held an on-site peer review for the Innovation Center Ústí nad Labem (ICUK), which requested advice regarding their policy challenge on the set up of financial instruments in support of local entreprises in Usti nad Labem.Business opportunities from the ‘green economy’ shift
As the (EEA) pointed out, the term “green economy” is not consistently defined as it is still an emerging concept.Regions as laboratories of policy experimentation: key learnings
On 12 december 2023, the Policy Learning Platform hosted a webinar on Regions as laboratories of policy experimentation. Access the recording, presentations and the key learnings here.Setting up regional funds with the European Investment Fund: key learnings
On 21 November 2023, the Policy Learning Platform hosted a webinar on setting up regional funds with the European Investment Fund. Access the recording, presentations and the key learnings here.European Value Chains for the green transition
The Policy Learning Platform hosted a peer review for the Regional Council of Jämtland-Härjedalen, in Östersund, Sweden, on 14-15 November 2023. The Region was looking for inspiration on how to build European value chains for the green industrial transition.AI for local authorities and policymakers: Key learnings
On 7 November 2023, the Policy Learning Platform hosted a webinar on the topic of AI for local authorities and policymakers. Access the recording, presentations and the key learnings here.Improve regional branding for attracting tech-savvy visitors: key learnings
The Policy Learning Platform organised a peer review for the Põlva County Development Centre, Estonia. The peer review was held in Carrick-On-Shannon, Leitrim County, Ireland on the 17th and 18th of October 2023. Discover the key learnings.Regional innovation governance: key learnings
The Policy Learning Platform organised a peer review for the Regional Council of Päijät-Häme in Lahti, Finland, held on 17-18 October 2023. Discover the key learnings.
Get policy advice
Are you looking for help on a regional policy-making challenge or simply have a question? Make use of our Platform services.
News and events
Explore the latest news and upcoming events on SMART topics.
Italy : Great success in SMEs and end users participation
Project NOTRE: Great success in SMEs and end users participation, an example of active collaborative excellence and visibilityRAW4RES in Interreg Europe Let's Cooperate event
The RAW4RES project was prominently featured at the recent Interreg Europe Let's Cooperate event in Antwerp, held on March 21st, 2024, during a session dedicated to Green Economy under the specific objective SME competitivenessEuropean Forum for Science, Technology, and Innovation
The University of Zaragoza participated in the Transfiere event in Málaga, Spain, showcasing its commitment to research, innovation, and knowledge transfer.Sharing ideas and meeting new colleagues in Antwerp
Our project attended Europe Let's Cooperate for two days of exchange and fellowship2-nd Stakeholders Meeting in Patras Focus on Mavrodaphne PDO
The University of Patras and the Departments of Civil Engineering and Sustainable Agriculture convened on January 11, 2024 the 2nd Stakeholders’ Meeting of project SMEOrigin, focusing on Mavrodaphne PDO wine.Varna on the way to more circularity through digitalisation
Citizens, businesses and institutions gathered in Varna for CEI BOOST dissemination eventMadeira speaks about digital innovations in CE
On January 15, 2024, the Business Development Institute of Madeira Autonomous Region hosted a regional dissemination event to highlight the CEI BOOST projectRegioStars 2024: call for applications
RegioStars Awards 2024 is open for nominations. Will your project shine this year?Newsletter on the second semester of UNLOCK published
In March 2024, the UNLOCK project published its newsletter for the second semester. In it, you can read about the progress the international partners of the Interreg Europe project UNLOCK have made in this semester.Exploring digital health needs: Insights from Seniors in HDF
In this article, discover the actions carried out by the Hauts-de-France region to identify the challenges faced by SMEs, regional authority, and particularly seniors in the rapidly growing field of digital healthResults of the stakeholders meetings organized in Italy
On Wednesday, February 28, CNA held the Second Local Stakeholders Group Meeting "Product and service innovation to improve quality of life" which was attended by institutions, organizations, research representatives and businesses in the area.Regional cluster ecosystem innovation challenges in Piedmont
The Piedmont Region hosted its annual event on the European Regional Development Fund Regional Programme for the 2021-2027 period, with a focus on the evolution of the regional cluster model and its future challenges.Third CODIL Project Meeting in Ireland, 19-21 March 2024
The 3rd CODIL project meeting, thematic workshop and staff exchange on ‘Disruptive technologies to the service of regional innovation ecosystem' took place on 19-21 March 2024, hosted by Údarás na Gaeltachta in the North West Region of Ireland!Students develop dynamic AR elements for Bremerhaven Guide
Creative collaboration between the city and the students combines digitalisation and tourism: Twelve computer science and business informatics students from Bremerhaven develop two AR games to be digital attractions in Bremerhaven.Good practices and Call for Experts discussed in Croatia
PORA Regional Development Agency of Koprivnica Križevci County in Croatia discussed the recently published good practices collected in TOURBO project and the recent Call for experts in stakeholder meeting
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