SustainX Touchdown Event: Innovation, Funding Readiness & Interregional Collaboration
DATE & TIME
Wednesday, December 2, 2026
09:00 – 17:00 | JOIST Innovation Park (SustainX Partners’ Final Meeting)
19:00 – 21:00 | JOIST Innovation Space Larissa (B2B discussions)
Thursday, December 3, 2026
10:00 – 18:00 | JOIST Innovation Park
ADMISSION
Free
DESCRIPTION
The SustainX Final Touchdown Event will take place on 2–3 December 2026 at JOIST Innovation Park in Larissa, Greece, bringing together SMEs, European organisations, innovation stakeholders and business ecosystems from Greece and abroad.
Designed as a dynamic two-day event, it will offer companies the opportunity to explore new collaboration prospects, learn about upcoming EU funding opportunities and connect with organisations that can support their growth, innovation and internationalisation.
The programme will include scheduled visits to selected companies in the Thessaly region, a closed B2B discussion with invited SMEs and stakeholders, and a networking dinner at JOIST Space. On the second day, participants will have the opportunity to attend an EU Grants Workshop focused on upcoming funding opportunities, SageHub Company Demos showcasing health-related innovation solutions, and a practical SME Masterclass focusing on intellectual property rights, exploitation pathways and the commercialisation of innovation results.
The event will conclude with a Policy Panel involving representatives from EISMEA, the Region of Thessaly / RIS3 and the SustainX partnership, highlighting how European cooperation, regional innovation strategies and future funding mechanisms can create real growth opportunities for SMEs.
This two-day event will serve as a meeting point for innovation, business networking and future collaboration, while showcasing the legacy and added value of SustainX for SMEs and regional ecosystems.
Organizer
Co-organizer
Supporter
Agenda
DAY 1 – Wednesday, 2 December 2026
SustainX Site Visits & Closed B2B Networking
| 09:00-16:00 |
Parallel Activity: Scheduled Site Visits to Local CompaniesPre-arranged visits to selected companies in the Larissa / Thessaly region. The visits will give international SMEs, partners and invited stakeholders the opportunity to explore local business capacities, innovation practices and potential areas for collaboration. On-site only / Pre-registered participants |
| 19:00-21:00 |
Closed B2B Discussion & Networking Dinner | JOIST Innovation Space LarissaClosed B2B discussion at JOIST Space, followed by a networking dinner. Online participation will be available for invited B2B participants. By registration/invitation only. Hybrid B2B discussion; dinner on-site only / Partners, invited SMEs and guests |
DAY 2 – Thursday, 3 December 2026
SustainX Final Touchdown Event: Innovation, Funding Readiness & Interregional Collaboration
| 10:00-12:00 |
EU Grants WorkshopA practical, English-language workshop for SMEs, companies, research and innovation organisations, clusters and business support actors interested in EU funding opportunities and new European collaborations for 2027. The session will focus on funding readiness, relevant EU funding opportunities, early-stage project ideas and partner identification, giving participants the opportunity to exchange expertise and explore potential collaborations for future European proposals. To support targeted discussions and matchmaking, participants are invited to register and complete the short EU Grants Workshop – Collaboration & Funding Profile in advance. The information provided will help us map participants’ expertise, funding interests and collaboration needs. On-site only | Language: English | Free of charge | Limited places available |
| 12:15-13:15 |
SageHub Company DemosLive demos and short presentations by companies participating in SageHub, showcasing health-related innovation solutions, needs and collaboration potential. On-site only |
| 13:30-14:30 |
Networking Lunch & Coffee — On-site only / All participants |
| 14:30-15:30 |
SME Masterclass: Scaling, Internationalisation and EU PositioningA practical capacity-building session led by SAGE-HUB, focusing on SME growth, internationalisation and positioning within European markets. Participants will explore pathways for entering new EU markets, building interregional partnerships and strengthening their role in European value chains, while connecting with SAGE-HUB Ambassadors for targeted matchmaking and potential collaboration. On-site only | Language: English |
| 15:45-17:00 |
Policy Panel: I3, RIS3 and SME Innovation InvestmentPolicy discussion bringing together EU & Region of Thessaly representatives. The panel will explore how interregional innovation projects and regional strategies can support SMEs, investment readiness and future collaboration. On-site only |
| 18:00 |
Networking Dinner — On-site only / Participants and invited guests |
