Network of Service Providers for Eco-innovations in Manufacturing SMEs

In 2018 the preparation for this EU Interreg. BSR project took place. The project kick-off January 2019.

This project establishes Ecolabnet, an effective and holistic network across the value chain of products, in order to support SMEs in implementing sustainable product-service systems. Ecolabnet focuses on the ecological and economical aspects of sustainability and builds a multidisciplinary network of infrastructures and competences, which integrate product-service system designers, bio-based material researchers, additive manufacturing technology providers, eco-branding and marketing specialist and business developers for collaboration. The project strengthens the collaboration between RDI providers and SMEs by creating understanding about the needs of actors as well as developing practices and structures for sustainable innovation carried out in collaboration. In addition, the project establishes strong relationships with intermediary organisations, which have a critical role in linking together the SMEs with needs and the RDIs with competences.
 
The project sets the governance structures for Ecolabnet, creates transnational service concepts and the strategy for long-term sustainability of the network. It develops tools for internal and external collaboration and reach out to the various projects of stakeholders in BSR. In order to increase sustainable eco-innovations on the markets and interest in RDI actors capabilities, the project develops real-life demonstrators of viable business cases of designing and manufacturing ecological products. The project strengthens the collaboration competences of RDI performers, public business development and support organisations and SMEs, and empowers time and costs effective commercialization of sustainable innovations. These activities create institutionalized knowledge and competence for efficient use of human and technical resources as well as capability to work in a transnational environment.

To gain knowledge about SMEs' eco-innovation and establish a network among RDI and intermediary organization that can support SME's eco-innovation.