In recent years, the global socio-economic and political context has changed dramatically highlighting the need to review the priorities of the production process and the better and more efficient organization of the supply chain. Due to the unstable geopolitical situation and uncertainty and the health crisis, the
concepts of resilience, energy conservation, the circular economy, and the scarcity and dependence of critical raw materials are becoming increasingly urgent and relevant. Manufacturing as a sector of the economy can contribute significantly to “green growth”, enhancing the climate neutrality and circularity of industrial production. Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs), despite their critical role in regional economies, development and competitiveness, often lack the necessary organizational structure and financial resources to invest in Research and Innovation (R&I) actions, resulting in their limited participation in collaborative actions of this kind. The aim of the GREENSMARTMED project is to leverage, integrate and upgrade methodologies developed in previous projects such as Interreg EuroMED, GREENOMED and FinMED, and to develop, a new integrated methodology and innovation toolbox for SMEs.
The methodology and toolkit that will be developed as part of the implementation of the GREENSMARTMED project aim to strengthen the interregional cooperation between the parties of the quadruple innovation helix (quadruple innovation helix) in the 5 involved Regions (Italy, Spain, France, Greece and Bulgaria) in order to create a European community capable of adopting innovative actions for a green and resilient manufacturing, contributing in the implementation of Smart Specialization (RIS3), helping SMEs to turn challenges into opportunities and create opportunities for sustainable and innovative business development. The evaluation of the methodology and the toolbox that will be developed in the context of the GREENSMARTMED project in European Regions at different levels of economic development will allow the creation of a widely accepted and transferable methodology. The economic sectors – targets of the GREENSMARTMED project are machinery, textiles, plastics, agri-food and mobility and batteries with a focus on solutions, technology and know-how transfer and business practices related to sustainable materials/chemicals, optimization of energy and resource use and emission reduction.
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