The funding period 2021-2027 starts in a moment when Europe is actively working to reduce the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the coming years will see a shift towards a green and digital future. This twin transition presents individuals, businesses, and regions with exciting opportunities, as well as a responsibility to deliver fair and inclusive solutions. Interreg has a lot to offer to build stronger territorial resilience and better respond to future shocks, among others through advancement of various social innovation measures.

Based on keep.eu data, in the period 2014-2020 there are more than 120 cooperation projects working on social innovation solutions. This includes a large variety of topics supporting social entrepreneurship, new services and products creating a dynamic and socially responsible innovation ecosystem and better governance solutions. 

The event aims to look into what has been achieved by European Territorial Cooperation programmes in the field of social innovation, lessons learned, as well as will discuss why to invest in social innovation and programme expectations. We hope it will give participants inspiration for the shaping of upcoming calls as well.

In the context of this workshop, we use OECD provided definitions to understand social innovation as design and implementation of new solutions that imply conceptual, process, product, or organisational change, which ultimately aim to improve the welfare and wellbeing of individuals and communities.