Through a new initiative for local communities across Thessaly, RIS3 Thessaly is promoting constructive dialogue around innovative solutions to everyday challenges. At the RIS3 Innovation Cafés, businesses, producers, professionals and representatives of the local economy take part in open discussions focused on issues they themselves bring to the table.
JOIST Innovation Park actively supports the initiative and participates in the RIS3 Innovation Cafés, helping connect local entrepreneurship with innovation, technology and available support opportunities.
About RIS3 Thessaly
RIS3 Thessaly is the Regional Research and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation of Thessaly. Its aim is to strengthen research, technology and innovation in sectors of particular importance to the regional economy.
The strategy is built around collaboration between businesses, research and academic organisations, public authorities and civil society. Through RIS3 Thessaly, the needs of the market and local communities can be connected more effectively with new ideas, technologies and opportunities for growth.
RIS3 Innovation Cafés: From Local Challenges to Solutions
Each RIS3 Innovation Café focuses on the specific needs and challenges of the area in which it takes place. The initiative gives participants the opportunity to bring forward the most important issues facing their communities, from agri-food, resilience and local production to entrepreneurship and tourism.
Starting from these local priorities, the initiative encourages focused discussion among participants in order to identify potential solutions and realistic next steps.
In practice, the RIS3 Innovation Cafés aim to take the conversation around innovation beyond major urban centres. The goal is to give representatives of local businesses and the wider economy, who understand the needs of their area first-hand, the opportunity to discover and make use of new ideas and growth opportunities. At the same time, participants can learn more about the tools and opportunities available through RIS3 Thessaly.
The Value of Participation and Connection
The idea behind the RIS3 Innovation Cafés is that a challenge initially faced by one business or producer may also be shared by other organisations and professionals in the same area. The value of the initiative therefore lies not only in the issues being discussed, but also in the connections that are created around them. During the RIS3 Innovation Cafés, participants have the opportunity to:
- exchange experiences,
- learn more about available tools and initiatives,
- connect with other professionals and organisations that may face similar challenges or offer complementary expertise.
Through this process, RIS3 Thessaly also aims for the Innovation Cafés to become a starting point for new collaborations.
Learn more and see the schedule of upcoming meetings of RIS3 Innovation Cafés.