Duration:06.2005–01.2008
Contacts:Rene Tõnnisson
Funder:Euroopa Komisjon

Estonian Regional Innovation Strategy

Estonian Regional Innovation Strategy (ERIS) was a project financed from Regional Innovation Strategies in AC initiative of the European Commission.

The project consortium consisted of Tallinn Technology Park Development Foundation which acts as a coordinator and represents North-Estonia, Narva Business Advisory Services Foundation, which represents East-Estonia, University of Tartu Pärnu College, which represents West-Estonia, Institute of Baltic Studies from Estonia, Culminatum from Finland, Hamburg Innovation from Germany and Forfas from Ireland.

 ERIS project created an overall strategic framework and three regional action plans which enabled to improve support actions on regional and national level and to coordinate better the developments in the field of innovation. In addition, the project helped to develop on bottom-up basis the priorities for the next National Development Plan outlining the usage of structural funds resources in Estonia during the next programming period as well as the renewed version of national innovation strategy – Knowledge Based Estonia.

The proposal had the following specific operational objectives:

  • Building a regional consensus among main actors of innovation in target regions
  • Raising public awareness both at regional and national level about the key role of innovation in regional economic development
  • Identifying and analysing the needs of regional enterprises with special attention to the needs of SMEs
  • Analysing the regional supply of innovation and innovation support
  • Preparing a strategic framework and 3 regional innovation action plans
  • Implementing regional innovation pilot actions
  • Setting up a regional innovation monitoring and assessment system
  • Promoting the interregional cooperation with the other regions in Europe

The project covered three Estonian regions: West-Estonia, North-Estonia and East- Estonia with total population of more than 1 000 000 inhabitants and with area of more than 30 000 square kilometres.

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