Project No.: C037
From September 17 to 18, 2024, the third meeting of the “Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystems” (RESIST) project took place in Umeå, Sweden.
The event brought together 21 participants from Sweden, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, Poland, and Estonia, who attended the first international strategy laboratory of the project. During the laboratory, participants explored Västerbotten’s regional approach to fostering social innovation and social entrepreneurship ecosystems, while exchanging ideas on piloting solutions for the project.
The main goal of the international strategy laboratory was to promote knowledge exchange among project partner regions, enhancing regional strategies and concepts. The laboratory generated recommendations for adapting regional and national strategies for innovation, with a particular focus on smart specialization strategies. While the European Union’s innovation strategies (RIS3) are already a strong tool, social innovation and social entrepreneurship are often underrepresented, lacking specific goals and measures in these strategies. RESIST partners examined opportunities to influence RIS3 development and expand its objectives to better support social innovation and entrepreneurship.
Participants were also informed about the results of the first regional strategy laboratory, which had taken place in the Västerbotten region a week before this meeting.
On the second day of the meeting, partners had the opportunity to learn about Västerbotten’s approach to social innovation and entrepreneurship and how these processes align with the region’s climate goals.
Additionally, participants exchanged knowledge on a social impact measurement system developed by researchers at Umeå University, which is closely linked to one of the tasks within the project’s working groups.
At the conclusion of the meeting, RESIST partners returned home with inspiration and new ideas to continue implementing project solutions and developing social innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems in their regions.
About the RESIST Project:
The Interreg Baltic Sea Region Program for 2021–2027 project “Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystems” is implemented to develop social innovation and social entrepreneurship ecosystems in the Baltic Sea region and promote cross-sectoral cooperation.
Project Manager:
Zane Gusta
+371 25608806
zane.gusta@kurzemesregions.lv
