Malopolska as a Regional
Innovation Valley
Małopolska was among the regions awarded the prestigious status of Regional Innovation Valley by the European Commission. The title is confirmation that Małopolska is consistently implementing the assumptions of the Regional Innovation Strategy and can make an important substantive contribution in cooperation with other regions at the European level. Obtaining the status of a Regional Innovation Valley brings a number of benefits to Malopolska and its residents. First and foremost, it enables and facilitates access to additional European funds that can be allocated to projects focused on developing technological and social innovations.
Regional Innovation Valleys is an initiative that aims to create favorable conditions for the development of breakthrough technologies and foster interregional cooperation across Europe. Małopolska is one of 11 regions in Poland and 151 in the entire European Union to receive this title. This award was granted by the European Commission on the basis of our region's commitment to developing and supporting innovation. The granting of this prestigious status is confirmation that the region is consistently implementing the assumptions of the Regional Innovation Strategy 2030 and is ready to further strengthen innovation policy and investment in modern technologies, especially in the context of the New European Plan for Innovation.
Concrete benefits
By participating in this prestigious group, entrepreneurs from Małopolska will have access to the latest technologies and the opportunity to participate in international research and development projects. This will make it easier for them to introduce innovative products and services, which will increase their competitiveness on the European and global markets. In addition, being part of the ecosystem, they will gain a platform for exchanging knowledge and experience with innovators and scientists, which will allow them to more effectively manage innovation in their companies.
In turn, the scientific community - universities, research centers, technology transfer centers, laboratories - will gain access to more funding to conduct research and implement innovative projects. The number of international research collaborations will also increase, allowing the exchange of knowledge and experience with scientists from all over Europe. For young scientists and students, it will be an opportunity to participate in prestigious projects and develop their scientific careers in a dynamic, innovative environment.
The area in which Małopolska intends to develop its technological potential within the framework of the Innovation Valleys is digital health. The aim of the measures taken is to create conditions that will foster the development of breakthrough innovations, their popularization and commercialization, and to stimulate cooperation between different EU countries at the interregional level.
Three ways, one goal
Regional Innovation Valley status can be obtained in one of three possible ways. In addition to submitting an application, which is reviewed by European Commission experts, there are two other paths related to a region's participation in competitions under the Interregional Innovation Investment Facility (I3) and Horizon Europe. The condition for receiving the status is, of course, the awarding of funding for the implementation of the project in either of the competitions. Małopolska, regardless of the success of the application submitted to the European Commission, is currently involved in the call for proposals for Horizon Europe, acting as a partner in an international consortium, and the submitted project is currently in the evaluation phase.
"Being awarded the title of Regional Innovation Valley is an important achievement, which is the result of our region's strong commitment to developing potential in areas that fall within the scope of smart specializations. We are currently observing what is happening in the Horizon Europe competition, where our innovative project “UNITE - European Digital Health Valleys” related to health digitization has a chance to receive a grant enabling ambitious projects in patient care, medical data flow or medical staff support. In the case of Horizon Europe, we are the only region from Poland that has taken up the challenge of preparing an application," emphasizes Marshal Lukasz Smolka.
Acceptance and subsequent implementation of the UNITE project would mean that Małopolska would not only confirm its status as a Regional Innovation Valley for the second time, so to speak, but, above all, it would receive support of the order of 600 thousand euros for the tasks envisaged for it in the project regarding the creation and activation of a special working group and activities related to the expansion and promotion of UNITE externally. The total value of the project is 19,961,417 million euros, of which the EU's financial contribution will be 50%.
Favor innovation
The new European Plan for Innovation was adopted in July 2022. The document is intended to facilitate the development and marketing of new technologies that will help Europe meet its most pressing societal challenges. The plan identifies 25 actions under 5 flagship initiatives, the implementation of which will leverage the EU's strengths - a single market, a strong industrial base, talent, stable institutions and democratic societies - to drive innovation in the most advanced technologies (deep tech innovation), as well as to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the green and digital transformation and the need for future strategic autonomy.
