Editorial

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from history, it’s that scientific breakthroughs alone don’t drive progress, strong research and technology infrastructures (RTIs) do. Without them, innovation struggles to move from the lab to society.

As Europe works to strengthen its research and technology ecosystem, one fundamental question looms large: Do we have the right infrastructures, policies, and funding strategies to bridge the gap between research excellence and real-world impact?

At our latest INESC Brussels HUB Winter Meeting, we addressed this challenge head-on, bringing together researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore: How can we build a more integrated and accessible RTI ecosystem? What governance models and funding mechanisms are needed to ensure Europe’s technology infrastructures remain competitive and sustainable?

Let’s break it down: what’s missing, what’s working, and what needs to happen next.

Ricardo Migueis  

Head of INESC Brussels HUB

Winter Meeting 2025

The INESC Brussels Hub Winter Meeting 2025 in Porto brought together experts, policymakers, and researchers to discuss one of the biggest gaps in European research and innovation policy: the lack of a clear strategy for Technology Infrastructures (TIs). While Europe has long supported Research Infrastructures (RIs), the facilities that help transition scientific discoveries into industry applications remain underfunded and fragmented.

This meeting focused on creating a stronger RTI (Research & Technology Infrastructure) ecosystem where advanced facilities, including science labs, pilot lines, and living labs, can work together to support both scientific excellence and real-world innovation.

• Bridging Research & Technology Infrastructures

Experts explored how RIs and TIs can work as a single system to support Europe’s major policy challenges in climate, digital transformation, and industrial competitiveness.

• Framework Conditions for RTIs

Speakers from the European Commission, ESFRI – European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures , Technopolis Group , and TNO discussed the missing policy, funding, and governance structures needed to help RTIs function efficiently.

• Challenges for SMEs & Cross-Border Collaboration

Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) struggle to access the right testing, validation, and demonstration facilities in Europe. Discussions focused on simplifying access, cutting bureaucracy, and ensuring fair funding opportunities.

• Funding & Long-Term Viability

One-time grants are not enough to maintain pilot lines and living labs. The conversation highlighted new funding models, including blended finance, public-private partnerships, and strategies for sustainable long-term support.

The RITIFI Project – Reshaping RTI Governance

A major focus of the event was the RITIFI (Research Infrastructure & Technology Infrastructures for Impact) project, which proposes a more flexible and collaborative approach to managing RIs and TIs. Instead of working in isolation, RTIs should be able to adapt to industry and societal needs in real-time.

Maurits Butter from TNO emphasized the challenge:

“It’s easy to push technologies onto the market, but difficult to align them with real needs. A demand-driven RTI system is key.”

What Comes Next?

For 20 years, Europe has refined its policies for research infrastructures. Now, the focus must shift to building a strategy for technology infrastructures. The insights from this Winter Meeting will contribute to shaping future policy proposals, funding mechanisms, and governance models for FP10 and beyond.

Tune in to the full episode: Listen Now

Watch all the videos and interviews from the INESC Brussels HUB Winter Meeting 2025 on the INESC Brussels Hub website and YouTube page.

A Turning Point for EU R&I Policy

March 11, 2025, marked a decisive moment for European research and innovation. The European Parliament and the Competitiveness Council stood firm against the European Commission’s silent resistance to a new, well-funded Framework Programme (FP10).

Instead, they rejected the idea of absorbing R&I funding into a hypothetical European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), making their stance unmistakably clear.

For months, research and innovation leaders have fought against this narrow, innovation-only agenda. Now, their efforts have paid off. 

With the Warsaw Declaration endorsed and Horizon Europe’s future secured in Parliament, the message to the Commission is simple: R&I deserves a dedicated strategy, not an afterthought.

But what happens next? Will the Commission double down, risking institutional confrontation, or finally engage in meaningful dialogue to shape a balanced, forward-looking FP10?

Read full Analysis

Portugal & China Unite

AI and Public Health Innovation takes a leap forward on March 5, 2025, a new chapter in global health and artificial intelligence began. Portugal and China officially launched the China-Portugal Joint Laboratory on AI and Public Health Technologies, a initiative that brings together leading research institutions from both nations.

With INESC-ID , Guangzhou Boxun Laboratory Instrument Co., Ltd. , Guangzhou Medical University , and Macau University of Science and Technology at its core, this collaboration aims to harness AI’s potential in pandemic prevention, public health management, and medical diagnostics. The project is more about trust, cooperation, and the shared commitment to tackling global health challenges.

Beyond the signing of the memorandum of understanding, Chinese and Portuguese leaders explored robotic innovations, including iCub, a humanoid designed to study human behavior, and Vizzy, an AI-powered companion for the elderly and hospitalized patients. The lab’s work will be guided by five key pillars: safe people, safe projects, safe data, safe algorithms, and safe outputs.

This partnership signals a bold move toward a future where AI-driven solutions will redefine the healthcare sector.

Read more

New ERRIN Paper

As discussions intensify around Europe’s post-2027 long-term budget, ERRIN’s latest input paper sheds light on a crucial yet often overlooked aspect; the role of regional innovation ecosystems in shaping Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, and strategic autonomy.

While key reports like Draghi and Heitor recognize the value of innovation ecosystems, the paper highlights the missing focus on place-based innovation ecosystems, regional hubs that drive tangible impact. Stronger, well-connected ecosystems enable European regions to develop cutting-edge solutions more efficiently, strengthening value chains and developing collaboration.

The paper evaluates existing EU initiatives like European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) Action and Regional Innovation Valleys (RIVs), programs that have enhanced regional collaboration but remain fragmented, underfunded, and lacking long-term stability. To address these challenges, ERRIN presents key recommendations for the future:

• A clear framework for territorial R&I ecosystems
• Stronger support in FP10 & the Competitiveness Fund
• A more inclusive R&I ecosystem to close the innovation gap
• A place-based approach for targeted, high-impact investments

Built on insights from ERRIN members and policy experts, this paper serves as a critical resource for shaping the future of Europe’s innovation.

Read the full paper

EURIZON Event: Strengthening Science Infrastructures and Supporting Scientists in Ukraine

Europe’s research infrastructure community has come together to support #UkrainianScientists in challenging times. Over the past years, the Eurizon SLJ Research project, a collaboration of European research infrastructures, has played a key role in sustaining scientific cooperation between Ukraine and Europe.

Through research fellowships, institutional partnerships, and direct support for Ukrainian scientists, the project has reinforced vital connections when they were most needed.

As the project concludes, the EURIZON Closing Event on March 28 will highlight key achievements and, more importantly, explore the future:

• What lessons have been learned?
• How can Europe ensure long-term support for Ukraine’s research community?

This event will bring together stakeholders from European and Ukrainian RIs, academia, policy, and innovation, providing a platform for discussion and collaboration.

Find the latest agenda here

More about the project

Technology Infrastructures: A Strategic Asset for European Competitiveness

Technology Infrastructures (TIs) are becoming a defining factor in Europe’s ability to compete globally. As industries face rapid transformation, TIs serve as the bridge between research and market-ready innovation, helping businesses from startups to major enterprises test, validate, and scale cutting-edge technologies.

The upcoming Conference on Technology Infrastructures, co-organized by the European Commission , the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, and the Łukasiewicz Research Network , will bring together key players to reshape Europe’s TI strategy.

Interesting Side of the Conference

• Policy & Strategy: Defining the role of TIs in strengthening European industrial leadership and technological sovereignty.
• Investment & Accessibility: Mobilizing funding, improving cross-border collaboration, and ensuring better industry access to these critical infrastructures.
• Real-World Impact: Showcasing successful partnerships between TIs and businesses to accelerate innovation and scale emerging technologies.
• Interactive Breakout Sessions: Tackling challenges in funding, governance, and industry partnerships (in-person only).

Understand how TIs drive competitiveness by supporting startups, SMEs, and major industries in bringing new technologies to market.

Network with EU policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and innovators at the Social Dinner and throughout the event.

Get Involved

Date: 6-7 May 2025 Location: Warsaw, Poland

Download the full Agenda

Register here

EARTO Annual Conference 2025: No EU Tech, No EU Competitiveness

The EARTO – European Association of Research and Technology Organisations Annual Conference 2025, hosted by EARTO Member Redit, will bring together high-level speakers from the European Commission, Research & Technology Organisations (RTOs), and industry leaders worldwide to discuss the vital role of technology and innovation in Europe’s competitiveness.

This year’s theme, “No EU Tech, No EU Competitiveness,” will set the stage for insightful discussions on how Europe can strengthen its R&I landscape, enhance strategic autonomy, and advance global collaboration.

Dates: 2-3 April 2025

Location: Valencia, Spain

Sessions with key European policymakers, industry leaders & global RTO representatives

Speakers Include:

María José Catalá Verdet

Diana Morant Ripoll

Paula Llobet Vilarrasa

Gonzalo Belenguer

Anne Van den Bosch

Andrea Gentili

View the full speakers list here

Out of the Box: Wood Grown in a Lab

Imagine a world where furniture, homes, and entire structures could be grown instead of harvested. Sounds like science fiction?

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed an innovative method to grow wood-like materials in a lab, eliminating the need for deforestation while customizing density, strength, and shape from the start.

Using plant cell cultures and 3D bioprinting, scientists can tune the properties of lab-grown wood, producing materials as strong as natural timber, without the environmental cost.

Incredibly, this process is 100 times faster than traditional tree growth and creates zero waste, making it a game-changer for sustainable manufacturing.

Is this the solution to deforestation? Could we soon “print” entire wooden homes? 

Read more about lab-grown forests

New Working Paper: The Role of Widening Countries in EU Knowledge Networks

A new European Commission working paper, supporting the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe, provides a detailed analysis of how Widening countries, those with historically lower participation in EU research programs, are integrating into Europe’s research and innovation (R&I) networks.

The study examines data from FP7, Horizon 2020, and the early years of Horizon Europe, revealing both progress and persistent challenges. While participation rates among Widening countries have steadily increased, their centrality in collaboration networks remains limited, often dependent on key bridge nations like Italy, Spain, and Greece.

The paper highlights how stronger regional partnerships, strategic investments, and policy efforts are helping to enhance connectivity and knowledge exchange.

Key findings include:

• Widening countries are increasing their collaboration shares, but gaps remain.
• Major EU economies still dominate research consortia and agenda-setting.
• Shorter path lengths in collaboration networks are improving knowledge flow.
• Regional clusters such as Baltic nations and Romania-Bulgaria are emerging as stronger innovation hubs.

Access the complete report