ACcelerating SmE innovation capacities with a Living Lab approach

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Megatrends like ageing populations and digitalization require but also enable a multi-dimensional approach. While new innovative value sources are created, it is also necessary to attain new capabilities. Especially SMEs lack the resources or capacities to deal with these dynamic and increasingly complex market conditions, needing to go outside to create value in ecosystems. The overall objective of ACSELL is to sensitize the public sector, innovation intermediaries (e.g., chambers of commerce, technology transfer offices, etc.) and SMEs towards -- integrating the user already early in the innovation process and -- expanding SME competencies by following the (interregional) living lab approach. SMEs greatly benefit from ecosystems that enable collaboration, orchestration, creation and networking. Access to smart and integrated (inter)regional policy instruments, a vibrant (value chain) ecosystem and relevant competencies will pave the way towards demand-driven and thus effective and efficient innovation, simultaneously solving societal challenges and supporting economic growth. ACSELL will facilitate complex policy orchestration and promote network thinking, openness and collaboration through 1) concerted twinning activities in the form of study visits based on comprehensive self-assessments, 2) knowledge exchange and mutual learning by identifying transferable good practices and hacking regional policy challenges and 3) accelerating innovative capacities through improved innovation policy and access to SME policy instruments. What is the optimal framework for nudging that paradigm shift towards open and demand-driven innovation? How can mutually reinforcing value propositions be attained in a multi-dimensional ecosystem? These questions will guide activities that will feed into the action plans for each region.

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