STARRISE: Open call for SMEs in the agri-food and logistics sectors

The STARRISE project, of which INOVA+ is one of the partner entities, announces the opening of a competition for SMEs and other organizations in the agri-food and logistics sectors.  

STARRISE: Open call for SMEs in the agri-food and logistics sectors

The STARRISE project is an initiative funded by the Instrument I3 (Interregional Innovation Investments instrument) of the European Commission to promote capacity building and interregional collaboration between continental Europe and the outermost regions.

With this open call, STARRISE will support a selected group of SMEs and stakeholders to:   

  • Develop their capacity to address challenges and identify new market opportunities taking stock of interregional collaboration. 
  • Generate and mature innovate ideas to be more resilient towards present and upcoming challenges. 
  • Cooperate with stakeholders to identify new regional technological domains and market opportunities. 
  • Develop and join collaborative innovation projects with other regions to meet common challenges. 
  • Identify and apply to private and public funding opportunities for their innovations.  

Candidates selected under this competition will participate in the STARRISE Journey, which will take place between October 2024 and September 2025. This journey includes a mix of online and face-to-face training events, personalized support for developing innovation projects, expert mentorship, and networking opportunities with stakeholders from various regions. The most promising ideas will receive additional support to seek complementary collaborations and increase their chances of securing investments. 

Who Can Apply?

The call is open to SMEs and other organizations from the agri-food and logistics sectors, as well as those from other sectors (e.g., ICT) with ideas or projects that contribute to these sectors. Applications can be submitted individually by an SME or other organization, or as a team of organizations. The focus is on less developed and/or EU outermost regions, even if they partner with more developed regions.

Application Process

Interested applicants should complete and submit the online form available on the STARRISE project website by no later than the 27th September 2024, 18:00 CET (Central European Time). Applications can be submitted in English or any language spoken by STARRISE partners: French, Greek, Latvian, Portuguese, Romanian, and Spanish. 

Join us and help us bridge the gap between regional S3 strategies and interregional investment in innovation in agri-food and logistics value chains through capacity building in continental Europe and the outermost regions!

For more information, visit the project website.