The overall joint vision of RiEcoLab for 2030 is to develop a novel way of performing research and development in universities to ensure immediate commercialisation (spin-offs) and involvement of a large number of internal stakeholders (academic and non-academic staff, as well as students). The new operational framework will be introduced via Ecosystem Integration Labs (EILs), which will be developed and implemented by each participating university (by relying on existing infrastructures, such as research support offices and technology transfer offices). The EILs will be tailored based on each university’s HEInnovate needs assessment and smart specialisation areas, which will govern the focus of the envisioned spin-offs. As a result, this will motivate each higher education institution (HEI) to commit to their Innovation Vision Action Plan (IVAP).

The EILs and the IVAP will build on capacity developed around the following toolkits:

• Toolkit 1: participatory engagement strategy for facilitating the entrepreneurial discovery process;
• Toolkit 2: setting up, institutionalising and operationalising the EILs;
• Toolkit 3: embedding responsible research and innovation in the innovation spin-off strategy of HEIs;
• Toolkit 4: bridging public and private impact investors to support spin-offs;
• Toolkit 5: implementing an inclusive performance measurement system (operationally, environmentally and socially) to monitor the impact of the spin-offs;
• Toolkit 6: effective collaboration, innovation, entrepreneurship, participatory engagement, and co-creation in a digital environment (DigComp and EntreComp).

Targets and metrics (during the project lifecycle):

• 24 start-ups/scale-ups supported;
• 600 students trained;
• 60 students mentored;
• 150 academic staff members trained;
• 30 academic staff members mentored;
• 90 non-academic staff trained;
• 30 non-academic staff mentored;
• 200 Quadruple Helix actors involved in the pilots;
• eight commercialisable ideas developed via the pilots;
• four prospective start-ups/scale-ups to be discussed with investors as a result of the pilots.

Impact (1−5 years after the project):

• at least one start-up/scale-up per HEI receiving impact investment;
• at least EUR 100,000 of funding received by HEIs from regional development agencies to further develop innovations/start-ups/ scale-ups (per HEI for a three-year period);
• at least 50% of staff (academic and non-academic) from each HEI trained yearly via the EILs;
• at least 50% of students from each HEI trained yearly via the EILs,
• at least 85% of innovation development projects from each HEI to use RiEcoLab’s IVAP;
• 50 HEIs to establish RiEcoLab EILs or to incorporate RiEcoLab’s IVAP;
• cooperation with all EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities;
• four policy changes (one per HEI country) made by policymakers to enforce new transformational changes derived from the IVAP.

Project coordinator

 T. Bartosz Kalinowski, RiEcoLab Consortium Manager / Associate Professor, Faculty of Management, University of Lodz (contact)

Project website

riecolab.eu