INFIMO

Interconnected and inclusive innovation ecosystems focused on ICT and mobility (INFIMO) is a Horizon Europe project focused on strategic collaboration between clusters and diverse innovation actors from Estonia, Portugal, and Georgia. INFIMO is using information and communication technologies (ICT) for digital and green transition in various economic sectors aligned with the Industry 5.0 (moving towards Industry 6.0) framework.

The main objectives of the project are:

1) Building a strategic partnership that engages more diverse innovation actors from Estonia, Portugal and Georgia to jointly develop their innovation capacities and facilitate the deployment and scale-up of innovative solutions.

2) Development of two collaboration models supporting the digital and green twin transition in various economic sectors with the help of ICT:

a) A generic collaboration model for supporting digitalisation and sustainability in a variety of economic sectors via the use of ICT. The model will be tested in at least 3 ‘clientˈ sectors;

b) An advanced collaboration model facilitating the twin transition and higher competitiveness in the mobility sector, including joint RD&I pilots and an open innovation competition where startups/SMEs propose solutions to the challenges of large companies. The model can be adjusted for use in other sectors in the future.

3) Supporting science-based product and service development and setting up Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) pilots between innovation stakeholders in the INFIMO ecosystems focused on the field of mobility.

4) Facilitating stronger involvement of women innovators and increase gender-responsiveness of services offered by the partners.

5) Supporting the exchange of best practices, skills and knowledge development and mutual learning by the involved networks and various innovation actors.

6) Building contacts and paving the way for collaboration with relevant networks and innovation ecosystems in the EU and associated countries.

The project unites three clusters:

• Estonian ICT Cluster as the lead partner (legal entity: Estonian Association of Information Technology and Telecommunications (ITL))
• MOBINOV automotive cluster from Portugal
• Georgian ICT Cluster (GIC)

ITL represents a Strong Innovator region and bridges the project with three large European networks, the European Digital SME Alliance, DIGITALEUROPE and ITS Nationals. MOBINOV represents a Moderate Innovator region and leverages outreach of the project to other EU mobility and automotive clusters via the European Automotive Cluster Network. GIC represents a Modest Innovator region and links the project with other Georgian cluster initiatives and innovation actors in various industrial sectors. The project consortium also includes the Baltic Innovation Agency (BIA) from Estonia, an experienced innovation management company and a representative of the Enterprise Europe Network in the project.

Together the partners will act as a driving force to build strategic collaboration between the ecosystems that they are representing. They will encourage the involvement of more diverse innovation stakeholders in the involved countries as well as build contacts with relevant partners from other countries. Jointly, the four partners will focus on reducing the innovation divide in the partnering countries, facilitating stronger involvement and linkages between different innovation actors such as companies of different sizes, RD&I actors, public authorities, investors, social innovators, civil society and non-governmental organisations.

KEY INFORMATION
Project name: Interconnected and inclusive innovation ecosystems focused on ICT and mobility
Acronym: INFIMO
Duration: 01 June 2023 – ⁠31 May 2025 (24 months)
Amount of funding: 500 000 €
The Funding is provided by the European Union through the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency.

The project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.