E³UDRES² Entrepreneurship and Innovation Network for Smart and Sustainable European Regions (E.I.N.S.) co-ideates novel pathways for entrepreneurial universities, drives the development of entrepreneurial education, co-creates advanced support for innovation and business creation, and enhances collaboration across the knowledge triangle beyond the state of the art.

E.I.N.S. empowers ‘Ent-Re-Novators’ (entrepreneurs, researchers, innovators) including young talent, experts, management, SMEs, local authorities, and engaged citizens. It strengthens the E³UDRES² European University (www.eudres.eu), which will be supported by the University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN) (www.uiin.org) and collaborate with EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs).

The focus on smart and sustainable regions is in reference to their importance in driving bottom-up innovation, the major contribution of SMEs to the European economy and labour market, as well as the role regions play in supporting European cultural identities and maintaining a high quality of life. While global innovation is concentrated in urban areas and large universities compete in global rankings, E.I.N.S. connects small, but agile HEIs that promote their regions.

A wide variety of associated partners connect E.I.N.S. to the knowledge triangle. These include business agencies, incubators, accelerators, venture funds, start-up communities, and other agents of change for a digital and green transition. They are both anchored regionally and connected globally, offering access to regional communities and resources, as well as relevant European networks.

In order to further develop and strengthen innovation capacity, E.I.N.S defines four long-term strategic priorities:

• empower and support ‘Ent-Re-Novators’ to bridge the gaps within the knowledge-triangle;
• enhance entrepreneurial education to enable learner driven innovation;
• link smart specialisation and open innovation to connect regional ecosystems with pan-European networks;
• provide expertise and resources to turn ideas into value for smart and sustainable European regions.

These priorities are broken down into six selected actions and eight core objectives carried out in the following work packages:

• Management & dissemination
• Entrepreneurial universities & innovation policies
• (Open) Innovation and entrepreneurship
• Connected research & innovation (R&I)
• Networked innovation ecosystems & OI-hubs
• Continuous coaching and training on staff level in R&I skills
• entrepreneurial education
• Support innovation and business creation.

Project coordinator

Hannes Raffaseder, CEO/President, St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences (contact)

Project website

eudres.eu/eins