ARCOE aims to create a virtual talent innovation ecosystem hub to improve HR practices, career development and research collaboration. First, an in-depth organisational assessment will be conducted, including an analysis in the Widera countries, to assess career development frameworks, HR practices and alignment with the Research Charter. A gap analysis will then be performed to identify areas requiring improvement. The hub will assist researchers in their professional development by acting as a centralised place for networking, training and career development. Training programmes and career services focusing on digital transformation, deep tech industries and the Green Deal will be created through the hub. The project will assist 15 participating organisations in applying for HRS4R, ensuring compliance with strict guidelines for the recruitment of researchers. In addition, emphasis will be placed on networking and collaboration between the academic and non-academic sectors through the Meet&Match system in the ecosystem hub, to enhance alliances and encourage researcher mobility. As for the Virtual Hub, a long-term business plan will be created to ensure its viability even after the project has ended. In addition, ARCOE will implement a comprehensive communication and distribution plan to ensure maximum impact and reach. To maximise the project's influence and promote international cooperation, synergies with other projects and programmes will be explored. In conclusion, ARCOE is dedicated to fostering talent ecosystems that create attractive and sustainable initial research careers. Through this initiative, we aim to improve mobility, collaboration and career opportunities in all areas, to empower the next generation of researchers and strengthen the European research and innovation landscape.

BEAGLE proposes an innovative methodology for value creation from the uptake of the research results applying the Blue Ocean strategy. It explores new market niches by fostering sustainable value chains in untapped markets, while promoting disruptive synergies and innovation. This will be achieved through constructing a BEAGLE network of 3 universities, 1 technology centre, 1 innovating communities’ manager and 4 industry clusters with a work plan which will be implemented by the active participation of 240 professionals from 7 European countries, both innovators (from industry) and researchers (academia and tech centre) through the application to an ad hoc open call. Multiple disciplines, sectors and geographic areas are called to connect and interact in this A-I BEAGLE community (mainly those of the participating entities). By the end of the project the goal is to unveil 20 new market niches, the Blue Oceans, and to co-create 20 innovation proposals with specific roadmaps. To facilitate the co-creation experiment 12 Mixed Teams will be set, expert researchers and TTOs officers form the academia and the technology centre will merge with the cluster managers and their representatives from the industry clusters. Those actors will lead, manage, and supervise the whole work plan starting by the recruitment of professionals from their own institutions (the mentioned open call), to actively join BEAGLE as participants of the proposed innovation funnel. Three phases are planned: I) discovering opportunities through co-creation activities (workshops, survey, interviews, video-factsheets, system innovation approaches); II) co-creating the innovation proposals; and III) consolidating 20 new innovative market niches to attract investment. A dedicated marketplace linked to the F6S platform (4.4 million members) will facilitate the implementation of the project and its further sharing of results and lessons learned, will ensure its continuity after the project’s funding period.

The Circular Economy paradigm, accelerated within the context of Industry 4.0, has been increasingly applied both inside and outside the manufacturing domain. The set of new capabilities, skills and competencies developed through I4.0 need to be augmented and enhanced in order to conform to the Triple Bottom Line perspective (profit, people, planet).These enhancements initially affect supply chains management and then expand towards entrepreneurship, business model development, innovation management and societal development. Research shows that there is a significant potential to address the complex challenges towards a more sustainable and resilient society by cross-fertilizing these disciplines through the CE perspective, via provisioning new courses and practical cases. For this reason, the joint CE-I4.0 evolution needs to be grounded on a new set of knowledge and best practices to be provided through both high education (HE) and vocational education and training, demanding systemic ways for sustainable development.CERES recognizes the need to shift the restricted focus of CE from firms to a more extended and system-level view that considers skills, competences and knowledge needs (provided from various business sectors such as e-waste, textiles, renewable energy, etc) to be supplied to HE and VET. This would catalyse the embracement of CE under a social development perspective from the preliminary stage of training and education. In this context, CERES’ new innovation ecosystem, the Circular Economy Digital Innovation Hub (CE-DIH), is aimed to promote connectedness among the stakeholders and to generate a systematised set of services, skills, competences and knowledge able to support the multi-faceted CE domain. The CE-DIH can be strategic not only to raise awareness but also to provide the most suitable and complete set of services able to support the circular enrichment and transition of both companies on the market and individuals in society.

The BOOST project addresses the significant disparities in innovation capacity among the EU Widening Countries, primarily in Eastern Europe. Although these nations excel in academic research, they struggle to translate their achievements into commercially viable products and services. This gap negatively affects the social, financial, and environmental sustainability of these regions, limits economic growth, and exacerbates issues like brain drain and low career opportunities for researchers and innovators. BOOST aims to strengthen the R&I capabilities of Widening Countries by fostering collaboration between academic and non-academic sectors. It focuses on enhancing career opportunities and entrepreneurship by providing researchers with the skills needed to succeed in both academic and industrial settings. A key element is the creation of the BOOST Learning Environment, which will facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration among organizations across Europe, giving access to a rich database of tools, resources, and learning modules. Central to the project is the implementation of the BOOST ERA Talents Scheme, which provides 12-month mobility opportunities for 60 researchers, improving their practical skills through placements in industry settings. The scheme also includes five tailored learning modules, and each participant will receive a Personal Career Development Plan to support long-term career advancement. The project ensures that at least 30% of mobility participants will be women or individuals from underrepresented groups, addressing the imbalance that persists in R&I fields. BOOST provides broad sectoral expertise through its consortium partners. By focusing on skill development, practical training, and cross-sector collaboration, the project will create a sustainable impact that extends beyond its duration, helping Widening Countries improve their R&I capabilities and compete on the global stage.