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Innovation for place-based transformation

The Preparatory Action Innovation for Place-Based transformation is an initiative coordinated by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, supported by the European Parliament  and implemented by a consortium made by Climate-KIC, ERRIN and EURADA over the period 2024–2026.

The project aims to strengthen the capacity of European territories to design and implement place-based innovation policies that can effectively address complex societal challenges linked to the green and digital transitions and beyond. Building on the knowledge and tools developed by the JRC under the Partnerships for Regional Innovation (PRI), the project supports regions, cities and local ecosystems in moving beyond incremental change towards transformative, systemic innovation rooted in territorial specificities.

The Preparatory Action builds directly on the experience of the PRI Pilot Action (2022–2023), which engaged 74 territories across Europe and produced key methodological outputs, including the PRI Playbook and the Innovation for Place-Based Transformation ACTIONbook, published by the JRC and the European Committee of the Regions. Through the Preparatory Action, the PRI approach is operationalised by combining structured capacity building with hands-on policy experimentation. It aligns with the New European Innovation Agenda and contributes to EU priorities such as climate adaptation, circular economy, digital transformation, social resilience and territorial governance, while ensuring coherence with initiatives including Regional Innovation Valleys (RIVs) and Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3).

The initiative pursues the following specific objectives:

  • to reinforce territorial capacities through the design and delivery of a comprehensive capacity-building programme for policymakers, civil servants and regional stakeholders;
  • to support policy experimentation by facilitating seven thematic Experimentation Journeys, enabling territories to collaboratively address shared challenges through a place-based and systemic approach;
  • to foster inter-territorial collaboration and mutual learning across regions, cities and innovation ecosystems;
  • to promote transformative innovation by embedding new governance models, stakeholder engagement practices and learning-by-doing methodologies into territorial policymaking.

Role of EURADA:

EURADA supports the design and delivery of the Capacity Building Programme, ensuring that its content is grounded in the practical needs and realities of regions and development practitioners. EURADA brings the perspective of RDAs as central actors in place-based innovation, territorial governance and stakeholder orchestration.

Within the Capacity Building strand, EURADA facilitates 3 thematic Working Groups on New European Bauhaus, Food Security, and Digital Transition for Competitiveness. Moreover, EURADA contributes to the design, facilitation and monitoring of the Experimentation Journeys on Food Security and Digital Transformation for Competitiveness and Public Services.

EURADA members involved:

Discover the map of all territories involved!

 

Contact person(s):

Alessandra Frassetto, Roberta Dall’Olio

 

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