RIS3 Thessaly is the Regional Smart Specialisation Strategy for Thessaly, a comprehensive development strategy focused on strengthening research, technology and innovation in specific sectors and subject to the framework of the Regional and National Smart Specialisation Strategy Mechanism. The Regional Smart Specialisation Strategy for Thessaly determines the priority sectors and innovation needs of the region.
The enhancement of entrepreneurship and innovation in Thessaly through support, knowledge dissemination, stakeholder networking and evaluation.
Direct Stakeholders are the actors directly involved in the actions, substantially affected by the progress and results of RIS3Thessaly, and/or called upon to actively contribute to its implementation, such as businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), industries, business associations, chambers and guilds, academic and research institutions, research centres and institutes, Innovation and Technology Transfer Hubs (e.g. Technology Transfer Offices, incubators, innovation hubs and European Digital Innovation Hubs based or operating in Thessaly), researchers and young scientists, the Region of Thessaly and other co-competent directorates or development agencies.
Indirect Stakeholders may be bodies that are indirectly affected by the implementation of the project or can enhance the dissemination and acceptance of the results, such as public bodies and institutional actors, municipalities and local authorities, governmental and national organisations, as well as Civil Society, local communities and end-users, citizens' associations and NGOs, investors and financial organisations, banking institutions, investment funds, business angels, national and European funding bodies, which promote research and development at local and interregional level.
The EDP is a participatory process that uncovers the real needs and innovation opportunities of the Region and guides the design of funding actions. It constitutes the core mechanism of the smart specialisation strategy (RIS3) through which businesses, researchers, public bodies and civil society are engaged to identify sectors with growth prospects, new innovation opportunities, market needs, and priorities that regional policy must address. It includes workshops, participatory processes and the utilisation of background papers from the Thematic Innovation Priority Areas.
Its results inform the design of new calls and actions for the Thessaly programme.
These are Thematic Working Groups established in the context of the implementation of the Regional Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3Thessaly) and the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP). They are composed of representatives from the business sector, the research community, and civil society, with balanced participation. The TWGs are thematic groups of experts and stakeholder representatives that support strategic planning and decision-making for innovation in Thessaly.
RIS3Thessaly strengthens innovation in Thessaly through the creation of policy tools such as research infrastructures, collaborative projects, business support actions, etc., which arise from RIS3 and the active involvement of the Thematic Working Groups that foster dialogue and co-decision-making between businesses, research organisations and public bodies.
Health, agrifood, agricultural sciences, information technologies, environment, circular economy and low/medium R&D intensity sectors that can be strengthened.
Businesses benefit through their participation in entrepreneurial discovery workshops, where they can highlight their needs, challenges and proposals, access targeted actions designed based on the results of the EDP, and gain representation in the RIS3 working groups, where they co-shape the strategy and influence future innovation support actions.
The project indirectly supports businesses' access to funding because the results of the RIS are integrated into the design of new funding calls implemented by the Thessaly Programme. Therefore, by providing information and guidance on national, European and regional R&D and innovation programmes, the project acts as a link between the ecosystem's needs and the funding instruments to be issued.
The project acts as an important networking mechanism in the Region of Thessaly as it provides for extensive networking actions through cross-sectoral cooperation and the active participation of the innovation ecosystem, via RIS3 workshops, which serve as meeting hubs for businesses, researchers and stakeholders, as well as through participation in Thematic Innovation Ecosystems (TIEs), where representatives from many sectors collaborate on a thematic basis.
Yes. Business participation is institutionalised through their involvement in the RIS3 committees, where they co-shape baseline documents and proposals, and it also takes place through the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) workshops, where businesses express needs, proposals and ideas for future actions, directly influencing the design of new funding calls for smart specialisation.
You can sign up for updates, take part in the events and contact the support team for dialogue, collaboration or guidance.
Be the first to find out about all the actions of RIS3 Thessaly.
