The recent experience gained in the Interreg-project S3-4AlpClusters showed that there is a persistent funding gap for the Alpine Space (AS) cross-regional research, development and innovation (RDI) projects targeting S3 opportunities of particular relevance and including actors of new value chains, from research to market. S3 across the AS relies on existing capacities in relevant priority areas, such as digitization, agro-food, health, materials, which represent huge synergy potentials at cross-regional level.

Objectives of the project

ARDIA-Net challenge is to create a multilevel, multinational and coherent Alpine Space Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Area which, addresses the regions’ specific interest in synchronizing and funding joint activities across regions. ARDIA-Net will result in a ready-to-use funding environment and innovation beacons for future cooperation in S3-implementation.

During the month of October 2019, ARDIA-Net - Developing an Alpine Space Research, Development and Innovation Area – project was launched. The project is funded by the Interreg Alpine Space Programme 2014 – 2020.

Project start and partner structure ARDIA-Net

With a duration of 3 years, ARDIA-Net is focused on the cooperation for smart specialisation strategies implementation. The project kick-off meeting took place in Stuttgart in November 2019.

ARDIA-Net project is led by BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg (DE) and involves 7 other partners: Bavarian Research Alliance (DE), Business Upper Austria (AT), Innovation and Technology Transfer Salzburg (AT), Lombardy Green Chemistry Association (IT), Poly4EmI (SI), University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland – School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg (CH) and SC Sviluppo chimica (IT).

1. ARDIA-Net designs a blueprint for a cross-regional Alpine Space RDI funding scheme to make use of the potential of regional S3 to forste innovation, economic growth and job creation in the fields of circular bioeconomy and health economy.
2. Demonstrator calls will be elaborated by the means of workshops for cross-sectoral and -regional S3 cooperation opportunities. Via networking and partnership building ready to use demonstrator projects will be designed.
3. Establishment of a dureable network of Alpine Space actors to implement a coherent common funding scheme bovernance structure based on experiences, best practises and learnings for step one and two of the project. 

The project is funded with 1.376.413,62 EUR, incl. co-financing of 1.169.951,56 EUR by the European Parliament through the Alpine Region Preparatory Action Fund (ARPAF), and will run nearly 3 years until the end of June 2022.