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REGIONAL.DIGITAL.INNOVATIV.

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Countries

Austria

Policy areas

Central & local administrationCrisis managementDigitalisationGovernanceInnovativeInvestment and PPPsResearch, innovation and digital economyTransport, tourism, agriculture

Organisation name Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism (BMLRT)

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Contact person: Andrea Rauscher

andrea.rauscher@ffg.at

REGIONAL.DIGITAL.INNOVATIV. is a project that promotes a bottom-up approach to foster innovation in rural regions. The regional managements of Austria, with other public administration actors and stakeholders, united to make a valuable contribution to the regional development of Austria. The project also deals with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, by focusing on challenges such as digitisation.

REGIONAL.DIGITAL.INNOVATIV. facilitates the collaboration between actors of the innovation community and highly committed, like-minded citizens in the regions to initiate an open dialogue about important future themes. Through methodological support, the selection of relevant partners within the research funding agency, enthusiasm and start-up funding, the project helps to turn dormant ideas into innovative projects and create cross-regional learning and partnerships. Since its launch in the spring of 2020, the project has focused on the needs of local citizens, by identifying the main topics and challenges that need to be addressed.

The project is focused on aspects of ‘New – Innovative’ and ‘Regional transformation’. The initiative combines an honest bottom-up approach with the support of the implementation of the generated ideas. Thus, innovative ideas do not remain purely conceptual, but selected ideas are implemented at the end of the innovation process to serve as ‘lighthouse projects’. The aim is not to finance individual projects that have already been conceptualised, but rather to find and implement new innovative solutions to existing challenges that can be applied in several regions.

The top three ideas were successfully implemented individually through a joint creative process (Creation Day Workshops). In a preliminary discussion, specific needs and requirements (e.g. specific expertise, other consortium partners) were identified. During the implementation of projects, the teams received not only monetary aid, but also support services. The monetary support amounted to a maximum of € 85 000, depending on the project content, the scope of the overall project and the need for financing.

The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) organised and arranged support services in advance of the Creation Day Workshops. The participants were guided with tailor-made advice and networking during the Creation Days. The FFG provided concrete assistance in finding ideas for projects, project formulation, the search for further project partners, project planning and arranging the financing.

Based on the survey these three topics were identified:

  1. Strengthening regional innovation capacity;
  2. Regional value creation;
  3. Public transport and accessibility.

New solutions were developed during the Ideation Day:

  • It was conducted as an online event.
  • Participants analysed the problem and the circumstances in a joint dialogue
  • Participants had the opportunity to network with new actors.
  • After discussions, participants formulated ideas together.
  • Participants created interest groups (‘regional clusters’).

Lighthouse projects were developed during the Creation Days:

  • Out of 26 ideas, the top 3 were selected through online public voting and an internal jury.
  • Public voting: all submitted ideas were posted on the FFG website, where people could vote.
  • Internal jury: eight internal evaluators from the FFG and the ministry discussed and validated the ideas.
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