Excellence Hubs ļauj inovāciju ekosistēmām Widening valstīs un ārpus tām apvienot spēkus un veidot labākas saiknes starp akadēmisko vidi, uzņēmējdarbību, valdību un sabiedrību. Tas veicinās uz vietu balstītu inovāciju kultūru Widening valstīs, pamatojoties uz stratēģisku programmu, kas saskaņota ar reģionālajām vai valsts viedās specializācijas stratēģijām, un skaidri definētām ekonomiskās un sabiedriskās ietekmes gaidām. Projektiem būtu jāsniedz ieguldījums šādos rezultātos:

• Izcilas un ilgtspējīgas reģionālās P&I ekosistēmas Widening valstīs un ārpus tām atbilstošās progresīvās zinātnes un inovāciju jomās;
• Ilgtermiņa kopīgas P&I stratēģijas, kuras pamatojas uz konkrētiem Eiropas nozīmes rīcības plāniem;
• Kopīgi P&I investīciju plāni, tostarp infrastruktūras jomā, kas sinerģiskā veidā piesaista valsts, reģionālos un Eiropas fondus, kā arī privāto kapitālu;
• P&I izmēģinājuma projekti līdztekus kopīgai stratēģijai un saskaņā ar reģionālajām un valsts stratēģijām, jo īpaši reģionālajām inovāciju stratēģijām viedajai specializācijai (RIS3);
• Jaunas kompetences un prasmes pētniekiem, uzņēmējiem un profesionāļiem P&I intensīvās jomās;
• Stiprinātas saiknes starp zinātni, uzņēmumiem un sabiedrību;
• Jaunas uzņēmējdarbības iespējas SME, universitāšu atvasinātajiem uzņēmumiem un jaunuzņēmumiem, īpaši dziļo tehnoloģiju jomās.

The projects will foster a regional innovation culture in Widening countries, aligned with regional or national smart specialization strategies. Consortia should seek synergies and avoid overlaps with relevant initiatives such as European Innovation Ecosystems, EIC Pathfinder, the KICs of the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), in particular the EIT Community Hubs established in Widening countries, the JRC’s ‘Partnerships for Regional Innovation’ and the Widening Dissemination and Exploitation Facility. This action supports the ERA’s third priority of translating R&I results into the economy, aiming to enhance European competitiveness in the global technology race while improving the environment for business R&I investment, technology deployment, and the uptake of research results in society.

The action targets regions as R&I actors, as they are where innovation and industrial ecosystems thrive, strengthening the connective tissue between higher education institutions, businesses, in particular SMEs and start-ups, research centres, and local communities and citizens. Regional ecosystems across the EU can drive new European strategic value chains.

Excellence Hubs are networks of innovation ecosystems in Widening countries, involving larger communities based on the quadruple helix principle. Legal entities form non-Widening countries may join if the consortium demonstrates that this is necessary to achieve the expected impacts.

Projects should include a well-balanced package covering at least the following activities:

• Design and implementation of a cross-border joint R&I strategy aligned with regional smart specialization strategies and European priorities;
• R&I collaboration strengthening academia-business linkages and providing evidence for strategy building and investment. The research component should be developed through joint research projects, closing knowledge gaps and advancing science and technology with market potential. The description of R&I component should include a long-term vision beyond the state of the art of the chosen R&I domain. The R&I component must be presented in a distinct work package in the proposal. The R&I component should be in balance with the other proposed activities and not constitute the dominant part of the project;
• Development of investment plans to implement the strategy, including business models for commercially sustainable products and services, leveraging private investments, as well as possibly national, regional and European funds,;
• If applicable, conceptual design and pre-planning for pilots and demonstrators in line with the strategy, financed by sources other than the Union contribution provided by the Excellence Hub grants. Proposals should outline how other financial resources will be accessed at a later stage;
• Complementary activities to promote knowledge transfer, visibility, mutual learning, skills development, and engagement with local governments and citizens. Secondments and staff exchanges should foster long-term collaboration.

Proposals should clearly illustrate the expected impact of the project, including new local and international partnerships, institutional changes, increased R&I intensity and other relevant indicators.

Expected project duration is up to 5 years.