The AQUALOOPS4MED project aims to promote sustainable water management in the agrifood industry through an interregional network. By adopting a circular economy approach, the project focuses on improving resource efficiency and ensuring long-term economic sustainability.
The project brings together four regions: Catalonia (Spain), Basilicata (Italy), and Attica and Thessaly (Greece), which share common Smart Specialization Strategies (S3). A key goal is to support less developed regions by investing in innovative solutions from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), fostering entrepreneurship, and encouraging knowledge transfer across academia, industry, government, and civil society. SMEs will demonstrate technologies and develop 40-60 subprojects related to sustainable water management, supported by cascade funding.
The project focuses on four main areas:
• Technology Demonstration: Showcase water reclamation and reuse technologies at demo sites in Basilicata and Thessaly.
• Support for SMEs: Provide funding to help SMEs develop innovative water management projects.
• Boosting Innovation Ecosystems: Strengthen interregional cooperation and investments through quadruple-helix collaboration, creating platforms for private investments, and analyzing relevant policies.
• Replicating Successful Initiatives: Assess the potential to scale successful projects across other EU regions, promoting efficient water management and economic resilience in the Mediterranean.
WE&B successfully developed/delivered the following services:
• WE&B lead WP4 on Interregional Investment and Business Innovation with a Focus on Smart Specialisation to drive sustainable water management practices through interregional investments across the Mediterranean.
• We undertook a Stakeholder Analysis and Network Mapping. The analysis looked at connecting thje quadruple helix stakeholders (academia, industry, government, civil society) and establishing sustainable water management practices.
• We lead the creation, development and launch of an Interregional Innovative Ecosystem Platform for Green Tech Investment Funds (Community of Practice) that will mobilise private investment in green tech funds and driving sustainable innovation in water management for the agrifood sector across the Mediterranean.
• We developed a Policy Cohesion Framework to ensure the alignment of regional policies with EU priorities, fostering cohesion and collaboration across regions within the sustainable water management sector.
• We also developed a Business plan and market entry strategy for the SMEs and Start-ups working in the Agrifood water management space.
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