Innovation Ecosystem Building Playbook: Ecosystem orchestration – Breaking silos, filling gaps – EBN

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Thriving innovation ecosystems share common values: they foster collaboration, prioritise attracting talent, promote and teach entrepreneurship, and provide a supportive environment for research, funding, and market access. By understanding and cultivating these key qualities, organisations and governments can position themselves at the forefront of innovation, driving economic growth and maintaining a competitive advantage in the global landscape.

A startup ecosystem is a dynamic network formed by people – operating within startups at all stages of growth, operators in research and academia, and a varied set of innovation support organisations – incubators, accelerators, corporates, educational and research institutions, financial entities, and government agencies, to name a few. Located within a specific imaginary (physical, administrative, virtual) border, ecosystems operate organically

Different entities, such as accelerators, incubators, and investors, play their particular roles, focusing on other aspects of the ecosystem’s function or the development stages of startups. However, these bodies must have regular interactions and collaboration to foster the creation of new companies, contributing to a vibrant entrepreneurial environment.

EU|BIC DNA Cascais: Fostering youth entrepreneurship in Portugal

The DNA Cascais Entrepreneurship Programme, operated by EU|BIC DNA Cascais is one of the largest education programmes for entrepreneurship in Portugal. Its main objective is to eliminate some of the gaps in the Portuguese educational system, preparing young people for the labour market, instilling them with an entrepreneurial attitude, as well as equipping them with other business competencies. We believe entrepreneurship to be more than the act of creating a business. It is an attitude, one that is rooted in knowledge and innovation, and in the implementation of initiatives that generate value.

Over 15 editions of the project, provided more than 58,000 students to take part in these journeys for a better future. DNA Cascais co-developed NES (Network of Entrepreneurial Schools) which functions as a learning community of Schools, Municipalities, Local Development Agencies, and promoters of entrepreneurship education projects that seek to improve educational practices and promote an entrepreneurial attitude within the school ecosystem.

Innovation ecosystems are crucial for fostering regional economic growth, driving entrepreneurship, and therefore addressing global challenges. Within them, through collaborations and partnerships, knowledge must be shared to create a system where commercial innovation success becomes more likely. Supporting the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems, and becoming a bridge between worlds is a prime focus of EU|BICs.

Breaking down these silos requires intentional collaboration and integration across different sectors and regions. EU|BICs operate with a deep understanding of regional dynamics and position themselves to address the unique challenges startups face in their specific environments. These challenges can include limited access to finance, a lack of similar startup-building experiences, incomplete or siloed knowledge-sharing, or inconsistent/ununified policy approaches. EU|BICs address these issues by fostering a culture of transversal collaboration, transparency, and knowledge-sharing across the ecosystem. Their role as regional hubs, and connectors, allows them to align different actors—big and small companies, public and private organizations, local and global players—to work towards common goals, benefiting the entire region.

EU|BIC JIC: Inspiring and connecting people dedicated to innovation

Velvet Innovation Conference brings together people from companies, public and research institutions, universities, NGOs, and the creative industry. The mission is to inspire and connect people dedicated to innovation by showcasing new ideas and providing a platform for international networking. The attendees can meet likeminded international innovators and get inspired by industry leaders and #brnoregion success stories. The idea for the Velvet Innovation Conference was born out of the desire of local businesses involved in the innovation ecosystem to meet in person and have an impact and a meaningful change. JIC believes in creating solutions to global challenges by fostering strong relationships between companies, public institutions, research structures, universities, non-profit organisations, creatives, and visionaries. We celebrate the success of local innovation and inspire the next generation of leaders to bring sustainable change.

Velvet Innovation Conference is an annual half-day event focused on innovation, emphasising various aspects of sustainability. The English-speaking conference offers a range of topics, from technology trends to potential business opportunities. It represents a unique opportunity to meet all the key players in one place and be part of the change ecosystem players want to see in the world. It allows participants to meet new people, get inspired, and join the discussion.

EU|BIC community members rally around a mission to use business and innovation as the force for regional (economic, sustainable, and social) development. They are locally rooted, and globally connected entrepreneurship support organisations who are a central component of the innovation ecosystems in which they exist. This mission gives EU|BICs a broad and dynamic role in fostering innovation, extending from the early stages of activation and education to the more advanced phases of acceleration and internationalization; extending from regional policy design/implementation to the creation of regional-specific entrepreneurship support programmes.

EU|BIC CAP Innove: Providing test zones for autonomous systems

EU|BIC CAP Innove provides test zones, running through ID2Move natural and artificial indoor and outdoor test zones for autonomous systems. These can be flying drones, maritime drones or ground vehicles.

Outdoor ground test zone: In collaboration with RACB CAP Innove provides access to a two-hectare vehicle racing track, located next to CAP Innove aerial test zone. This track allows companies to test their machine in close-to-reality conditions. Close turns, straight lines, braking tracks, roundabouts or even wet tracks, nearly every test situation is scriptable. CAP Innove also provides another test zone equipped with efficient test equipment like fully recovered soil or watered parts.

Indoor test zone: CAP Innove indoor area counts with a surface of 600m² and 8m of ceiling height, enabling companies to carry out numerous tests, both on the ground and in the air. The area is equipped with a removable floor and the latest generation of motion capture cameras. Every single square of the ground can be removed and replaced by its company sensors (pressure, acceleration, etc.) while motion capture cameras can track up to 100 objects with a precision in millimetres and milliseconds. Ideal to test autonomous flight software, swarm flights, latency in information sharing and decision making and much more.

Their primary mission is to support the unique needs of their regions, which can vary significantly. As central business and innovation centres of their region, they leverage their mission-driven position to actively orchestrate their innovation ecosystems. Collecting data, gaining insights, understanding the ecosystem better and developing innovation and services that fill in the gaps – with some even acting as developers of the region’s innovation strategy.

Whether it’s inspiring young people to explore entrepreneurship or cultivating a sector-specific specialization that elevates the region’s competitiveness, EU|BICs tailor their focus to whatever best serves the local economy. By strategically engaging in activities that activate and nurture innovation at multiple levels, they help their regions stand out and achieve a level of impact beyond their size or resources, ensuring long-term sustainable growth and global relevance.

EU|BIC PPNT: Providing online connections between deep-tech startups across Europe with local tech hubs and investors

EU|BIC Poznan Science and Technology Park organises Poznan Online Market Discovery Programme connects deep-tech startups across Europe with local tech hubs to create new relevant contacts for new market discovery and expansion. Moreover, thanks to founder-to-founder learning, startups are introduced to like-minded entrepreneurs, allowing them to inspire each other.

The Online Market Discovery Tour is divided into two parts:

First, the selected startups are invited to attend a 2-day conference. Without the need for physical travel, startups get to take part in online workshops and panel sessions led by some of the biggest names in the international deeptech scene. The sessions cover topics such as local & international business culture, collaboration with corporates, how to raise investments and much more.
The 2-day conference is followed by 1-on-1 meetings. Startups are allowed to meet with local industry experts, corporate representatives, and investors to gain more insights into the selected startup ecosystem. 1-on-1 meetings are followed between companies and investors

EU|BICs also advocate for the future of the region by giving a voice to new and emerging companies. They are not only a voice and advocate of existing start-ups and innovative SMEs, but also of not-yet-to-exist companies and potential entrepreneurs. This voice is heard by all levels of policy-making – municipal, regional, national, and international. Innovation is central to addressing the challenges of regional transformation, particularly in the context of green, digital, and demographic transitions. EU|BICs create the conditions for innovation to flourish. By facilitating cooperation at all levels, EU|BICs help regions innovate locally and compete globally, ensuring long-term success.