A platform to strengthen Europe’s Eco-innovation community
Eco-innovation, Green Technologies and the Environment have been at the forefront of European policy and have been object of a series of initiatives at all levels in recent years. However, efforts in this area have been fragmented and implemented through a huge variety of instruments. Overcoming this fragmentation is one of the key challenges of EU policy in support of Eco-innovation today.
ECOLINK+ is the horizontal action which will respond to this challenge, taking into account the vast size and complexity of the Eco-innovation universe by acting as an important reference point for the whole Eco-innovation community.
ECOLINK+ will set up a Steering Group for the European Eco-innovation Platform (Eco-IP) to ensure an overall coherence of platform’s vertical activities and the exploitation of synergies with other EU initiatives within and outside Europe INNOVA. In addition, through the involvement of economic development actors, ECOLINK+ will showcase regions believing in eco-innovation, animate a business club gathering the 100 most performing Eco-innovators in the EU, and render available a platform to develop business relationships with peers, investors and service providers.
ECOLINK+ will capitalise on all the efforts that the EU is making to develop and promote innovative tools in support of Eco-innovation.
Specific objectives:
- Reduce policy fragmentation in support of Eco-innovative enterprises;
- Validate results and spread knowledge (publicising the approaches and tools) on the innovative support services for Eco-innovation SMEs, developed by the sectoral partnerships;
- Focus policy on potentially fast-growing companies in the Eco-innovation domain;
- Identify and support the best performing and the most promising Eco-innovators, giving them the opportunity to share experiences and prepare for international expansion;
- Reinforce links between research, entrepreneurship and financing players in the Eco-innovation international arena.
