#17 How to build a continuous pipeline of interregional investment ideas
Date: 18 February 2026
Time: 14:00 -15:30 CET
What to expect?
The Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), supports interregional innovation projects in their scale-up and commercialisation phases, helping them overcome regulatory and market barriers and bringing projects to investment level.
As I3 opportunities expand, a recurring issue remains: strong interregional ideas often exist, but they are not always structured, mature, or “investment-ready” by the time a call opens. A rolling pipeline approach helps bridge this gap by maintaining a continuously updated, stage-gated set of interregional investment ideas that can be progressed over time — from early concepts to robust investment portfolios.
You will get a chance to learn and get answers to questions like:
- How do you define a “pipeline” in your context (and what qualifies as an “investment idea”)?
- What are the pipeline stages and the decision gates (and who owns each)?
- What minimum information do you require at each stage (scope, value chain logic, partners, investment needs, expected impacts)?
- How do you connect the pipeline to funding windows (I3 calls, ERDF programmes, other EU instruments) and to private investment?
- How do you source ideas and ensure industry pull (SMEs, corporates, users) rather than policy push only?
- What tools and data do you rely on (e.g., project databases, observatories, partner search tools, mapping exercises)?
- How do you prioritise and avoid an unmanageable “long list” of ideas?
- How do you ensure interregional complementarity (rather than duplication) and build balanced consortia?
- How do you include less developed and outermost regions in a meaningful way (roles, benefits, capacity building)?
- What are your top lessons learned (one thing you would do again; one thing you would avoid)
Who is this virtual event for?
Organisations, SMEs, clusters, policymakers, and national/regional authorities responsible for innovation policy and/or Smart Specialisation (S3) — including stakeholders seeking to structure investment ideas, build interregional value chain projects, and strengthen readiness for I3 and complementary funding/investment instruments.
Format
To maximise exchange, the event will combine short case study spotlights with a substantial moderated discussion and audience Q&A. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions directly, and the discussion will focus on transferable, practical lessons (what works, what does not, and what you can apply in your own context).
Speakers
- Nina Hoppmann and Antonio Novo, I3 Support Facility Team
- Attika (Greece) – Innovation Centre Attika Region
- Lombardia (Italy) – Directorate General for University, Research and Innovation
- Norte (Portugal) – Health Cluster Portugal
- Brussels (Belgium) - Innoviris
Event agenda
- Introduction on I3 Support Facility
- Framing: what a rolling pipeline could be and how it could be structured
- Slido polls: participants’ pipeline maturity and pain points
- Case study spotlights:
- Attika (Greece) – Innovation Centre Attika Region
- Lombardia (Italy) – Directorate General for University, Research and Innovation
- Norte (Portugal) – Health Cluster Portugal
- Brussels (Belgium) – Innoviris
- Moderated discussion and audience Q&A
- Wrap-up and next steps