The first work programme for the new “Interregional Innovation Investments (I3)” funding instrument has recently been approved, allocating €570 million for the 2021-2027 period to support consortia made up of researchers, businesses, civil society, and public administrations. The objective is to support the demonstration, commercialisation, and scale-up of innovative interregional solutions within the priority sectors of smart specialisation. In particular, the aim is to incentivise the creation of value chains and European cohesion.

The instrument consists of two components:

• Financial and advisory support for investments in interregional innovation projects: aimed at mature partnerships wishing to accelerate the market introduction of innovative solutions and develop a portfolio of investment projects. The budget for 2021 is almost €40 million.

• Financial and advisory support for the development of value chains in less developed regions: aimed at emerging partnerships that seek to increase the capacity of regional innovation ecosystems to participate in global value chains in less developed regions as well as to join partnerships with other regions. The budget for 2021 is almost €37 million.

The 2021 call consists of 3 calls for proposals for each component, with a focus on the digital transition, green transition, and smart manufacturing, which are already open and can be viewed here. There are two cut-off dates: 1 February 2022 and 18 October 2022.

An information day open to all interested parties is also scheduled for 9 December, for which registration is required via the following link.

The official programme documents can be viewed here.