Aim

One of the priorities of the Lapland Regional Programme 2022-2025 is sustainable economic growth and renewal so that the transition to a green economy benefits Lapland’s businesses. Sustainable growth will be ensured by being an active partner in international RDI cooperation, as renewal requires both international and cross-sectoral cooperation.   The main objective of the SustainBizz project is to increase cross/multidisciplinary international RDI activities and cooperation in Lapland to support sustainable renewal, growth and competitiveness of the region’s industries and enterprises.  The project will promote the theme in the context of tourism, given the important role of the sector in the ongoing economic transformation and its multiplier effect on the economy as a whole. The sector is at the heart of Lapland’s smart specialisation strategy and is strongly linked to the key EU Green Deal sectors that the green transition requires to become a reality.  

Results

The project will enable the region to become part of strategic international RDI networks, build partnerships and strengthen the skills needed for international RDI activities. Through international RDI cooperation, Lappish actors, as part of an international network of actors, will be able to jointly renew the regional economy in a sustainable way and promote the green transition through cross/multi-sectoral innovations by making use of international funding. The novelty of the project is therefore the cross-sectoral/multisectoral boost to the sustainable economy and green transition through international cooperation, which diversifies the RDI activities and cooperation that are usually focused solely on the tourism sector.The concrete outcomes of the project will be 1) a common Lappish understanding to support international RDI activities for sustainable economic transformation in the context of tourism, 2) European RDI cooperation networks and partnerships in line with the theme and 3) an international project application to seek and obtain funding in relation to the theme. The results of the project and the knowledge gained can be widely used as a basis for planning new international calls for projects and for applying for international funding in the future. 

Usability of the results

The overview of current situation prepared in the project, along with webinars on regenerative business and funding programs, will benefit RDI actors, developers, and the business sector. Hankkeessa tuotetaan kolme julkaisua maakunnallisiin ja valtakunnallisiin kanaviin.