Phase 2a of our project has successfully come to an end in December 2023, owing much to the hard work and dedication of all project partners. As a result, the IDEATION project achieved significant milestones and established a solid foundation for Phase 2b, the final 6 months of our project!

In the first action, “Digital Access to Infrastructures”, the focus was on continuing the process of infrastructure sharing, which led to the registration of 136 new infrastructures on the SYNERGY platform, leading to the creation of new strong and fruitful partnerships. Furthermore, partners held 5 training sessions on Infrastructure Sharing and the Sharing Economy Model and 4 infrastructure sharing agreements were established.

Action two, “Knowledge Triangle Network”, aimed at establishing new partnerships and fostering collaboration through the organization of Open Seminars and the registration of entities on a dedicated platform. A total of 8 events were held, with 227 participants registering and leading to the formation of new, strong partnerships. In Action three, “Crowd Innovation”, students were encouraged to develop innovative solutions to respond to Innovation Challenges. In total, 14 challenges were published, and 22 solutions were submitted to contribute to developing innovations and businesses in HEIs by using the innovation-driven environment based on crowdsourcing and crowdfunding. Action four, “Testing of Crowdfunding Opportunities”, aimed to familiarize participants with the benefits and mechanisms of crowdfunding and crowd-investing as a means of funding innovations. Within this action, 3 crowdfunding trainings were held for 60 participants, and 17 crowdfunding campaigns were developed. The “Pre-Incubation Program” in Action five resulted in 15 workshops for 160 participants. Three startups were supported and scaled up. Finally, Action six, “International Open Innovation Training”, attracted more than 200 participants in a program that covered cutting-edge approaches, methods, and case studies in entrepreneurship, with a special emphasis on Open Science and Social Product Development.

These activities, aimed at promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, have positively influenced participants fostering favorable attitudes and practices. Through various initiatives such as training sessions, pre-incubation programs, and simulated games, HEIs have seen focused efforts to enhance innovation and entrepreneurial skills among students. Additionally, international cooperation has facilitated the development of a common set of tools supporting the entire IDEATION ecosistem.

In summary, during Phase 2a, our project supported the scaling up of 3 new startups, provided training for almost 500 students, 150 academic staff members, and 135 non-academic staff members through open seminars, pre-incubation programs, and the IOITs. Furthermore, infrastructure sharing activities were improved and supported for more than 30 organizations registered on the Synergy platform.

As we embark on this next phase of our journey, we remain committed to our mission. With the collective efforts of our project partners and stakeholders, we are confident in our ability to achieve our goals and make a lasting impact on society. Join us as we embark in the last 6 months of our project!