The core of Smart Specialisation lies in discovering new opportunities. Discovering new innovative solutions stems from well-connected innovation networks in the regions but also from learning on innovative solutions in other regions.

The LARS project partners met up in Hamburg November 28th-29th for the partner meeting of this intensive and important phase of the project, this time hosted by Hamburg University of Applied Sciences.

The LARS project attempts to help the public sector operating within various institutional frameworks to support innovation processes in their regions, and to connect innovation networks across and beyond the borders of regions. LARS is looking for improvements in public sector policies, supporting innovation.

On the 10th EUBSR Annual Conference in Gdansk, the LARS project and partners arranged the seminar Enhancing business-driven circular economy. The well-attended seminar sparked a lively discussion on the role of the public sector acting as a catlyst for business-driven circular economy.

The LARS project is now moving towards its transnational learning phase. The partners are analyzing the stakeholder connectivity in the regions. Which stakeholder innovation partnerships exist and which are needed? The goal is to find ways for learning among regions.

In the beginning of April, the LARS project held its third partner meeting and transnational learning seminar. This time the partners met in the beautiful city of Lillehammer, in the heart of Norway. The partner meeting was hosted by Oppland county authority.

The second newsletter describes the theoretical framework behind LARS, and gives concrete examples of how the work is carried out.

The LARS partners met in Lahti in southern Finland on the 15th and 16th of October to discuss the progress and preliminary findings of the project.

The first LARS Newsletter describes the process leading up to the project, experiences from the work with mapping the value chains, how the gap analysis works and much more. 

The first Transnational Learning Seminar took place in Vilnius, Lithuania in April 2018.