Contact person(s): Anita Bálint - balint.anita@vasmegye.hu

Project description:

Issue addressed:

Achieving the EU's objective of a carbon-free and resilient economy requires a substantial boost to Europe’s manufacturing capacity for net-zero technologies, such as innovative RES infrastructure and energy storage systems.

This urgency is highlighted by the net-zero Industry Act, which also emphasises the role of SMEs in driving the production of clean technologies, stimulating green job creation, and reducing dependencies on imported technologies.

Yet, net-zero SMEs in the EU often face significant growth obstacles, including limited access to capital for scaling-up their activities, and difficulties in establishing R&D partnerships to foster innovation.

Aim:

The project will enable the participating regions to strengthen and accelerate innovation-driven economic growth, putting net-zero SMEs at the forefront of this endeavour.

• To this end, the project foresees the implementation of policy mapping activities,
• mutual capacity building workshops and study visits, and
• peer assessments of policy interventions,

which will all enable partners to:

• 1. Create new investment opportunities and financial schemes that will boost net-zero industrial growth through innovative and collaborative ventures.
• 2. Promote the establishment of collaboration schemes between net-zero SMEs, research actors and business ecosystems,

thereby boosting innovation and access to new markets.

Lead partner:

• Epirus Region (Greece)

Project partnership:

• Province of Hainaut (Belgium)
• Vas County Government Office (Hungary)
• Gabrovo Municipality (Bulgaria)
• Energy City Skive, Skive Municipality (Denmark)
• City of Helsingborg (Sweden)
• University of Patras (Greece)

Discovery partner:

• NGO Fund Regional Center for Economic Research and Business Support (Ukraine)

Associated Policy Authorities:

• Region of Western Greece (Greece)
• Public Service of Wallonia-Economy, Employment, Research Economic Policy Directorate (Belgium)

 „The project is realized in the Interreg Europe Program with the co-financing of the ERDF, the European Union and Hungary.”