Project advancement
2024 has just begun and the first months of work for the I3-INSHAPE project are behind us. Co-funded by the EU, it aims to enhance the European digital economy by transforming the recognized by the EU into a European competence centre for SME sports and vitality initiatives, accelerating interregional innovation investments and creating the I3-INSHAPE Network of Innovation and Investment Hubs. Every interested SME can benefit from this project, and partners made significant progress since the start of the project in September 2023 to permit its local and international accessibility. JYU-Vuokatti is involved in work packages 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6.
The Kick-off meeting in Eindhoven: why the project is so important
The inaugural event was held on the 22nd and 23rd of September 2023, at the Philips Stadium in Eindhoven, marking the beginning of a three-year journey. Project partners and SMEs gathered for the project Kick-off to present diverse Work Packages, laying the foundation for collaborative efforts to reach a great objective. Indeed, the €9.5 million project, funded by the EU-I3 programme, aims to accelerate SMEs' market entry and establish the Innovation & Investment Hub for companies, institutions, and government bodies to promote healthier lifestyles and economic growth in participating regions, fostering economic growth. This goal underlines the importance of such a project, which is a self-sustainable international hub to expand market presence of SMEs and facilitate commercialization, attract investments, digitalize services and products, access financing and drive economic development for sport sector in the participating regions.
In 2023, partners and SMEs have started mapping the excellence and expertise of the regions, as well as appointed IBS managers and identified the major needs of the SMEs towards sports innovation.
The Work Package 3 Kick-off in Barcelona: scaling up and legal insights
A pivotal moment in the project's early life occurred during the WP3 Kick-off meeting in Barcelona, in December 2023 - organized byIndescatand ´¡³¦³¦¾±Ã². The conference, held within the broader framework of the I3-INSHAPE project, sought to accelerate investment in SMEs while providing valuable insights into international scalability and legal considerations, to support the growth and sustainability of businesses within the sports sector.
The Work Package 4 Kick-off in Valencia: building bridges by sharing data
Support through data, tailored to the specific needs of SMEs, is one of the cornerstones of the three-year (2023-2026) I3-INSHAPE project. This ambitious operation is one of the main activities of the project which specifically aims to build the I3-INSHAPE Data Portal and Services, as a future service for SMEs. The kick-off event of this activity in Valencia on the 22nd and 23rd of February marked the launch of this phase of the project work plan.
WP4's goal is to build the I3-INSHAPE Data Portal and Services. This platform will serve as a central hub, fostering collaboration and data usage between flagship SMEs (already on board in the project), co-developer companies, and a second stream of additional SMEs from the participating EU regions. This will ultimately contribute to the growth and competitiveness of SMEs within the EU, facilitating the commercialization of services and attracting investments.
International Seminar Day on Commercializing Sports Innovations 9.4.2024, Lahti
The fourth INSHAPE consortium meeting took place in Lahti.
There was organised also a Seminar Day on Commercializing Sports Innovations which brought together experts, investors, and innovators. We had an opportunity to view the current state and future possibilities of sports technology, explore international projects supporting the growth of the sports tech sector in Europe, and hear expert talks illuminating the latest trends and innovations.
Innovation Support Programm Kick Off, Rovaniemi 2024
The partners of the I3INSHAPE project met in Rovaniemi on 24th-25th September. The meeting focused on strengthening innovation by SMEs in the sports and vitality sectors in Europe.
The Innovation Support Program, which provides high quality interregional support to SMEs in the sports and vitality sectors aiming at international growth and partnerships, was launched in Rovaniemi. We also outlined the Open Call, which is intended to serve as a tool for SMEs towards international partnerships.
ELIS Pitch Stop Event, Eindhoven 2024
This was the first time when the Flagship SMEs, co-developers and their IBS managers met in person.
The companies participated in the ELIS Pitch Stop Event to get valuable feedback for their innovative business case, identifying potential issues (GAPs) and adapting their work plan by identifying services from the internal service catalogue.
We also attended the ELIS Innovation Summit. The SMEs had the opportunity to showcase their innovation to an international network for technology development in sportive and healthy active lifestyle. We will announced the upcoming I3-INSHAPE Open call.
OPEN CALL Launch 10.2.2025
The project includes a so-called Open Call, aimed at selecting European interregional networks Each network consists of 24 SMEs working together to promote the commercialization of innovative products and services that support an active and healthy lifestyle.
These companies will receive financial and innovation investment support from partners within the I3-INSHAPE consortium.
The main objective is to support I3 collaborative projects in advancing their technological readiness level (from TRL 6 to TRL 9) and increasing their opportunities to strengthen and develop interregional value chains within the EU.
I3-INSHAPE, in collaboration with various stakeholders, has identified four key areas representing different environments where citizens can be encouraged to lead an active and healthy lifestyle:
- @Work: Employers/companies, especially in innovative/high-tech sectors, aim to promote the well-being of their employees.
- @School: Developing children's physical skills and supporting young people in adopting an active lifestyle are key priorities.
- @Public Spaces: The built environment can either hinder or promote physical activity. Cities and towns must create favorable environments that are safe, accessible, and encourage citizens to be physically active.
- @Sport: The sports sector increasingly recognizes "active and healthy living" as a growing market. A comprehensive range of sports services attracts both tourists and local residents, leading to positive spillover effects and increased business opportunities.
The maximum grant amount is expected to be up to €61,000 for a consortium of two applicants and up to €91,500 for a consortium of three applicants. The grant covers 100% of the costs, meaning no additional own funding is required. The awarded grant may be lower than the requested amount if the budget includes ineligible expenses or if certain budget items are overestimated.
The total size of an I3 collaborative project may exceed the maximum grant amount, but the funding share remains unchanged: up to €61,000 for a two-applicant consortium and up to €91,500 for a three-applicant consortium. Each successful SME may receive a maximum financial contribution of €30,500.
Debrecen meeting and Mini ELIS pitch Stop Event, April 2025
The Hungarian project meeting marked the halfway point of the INSHAPE project.
The targeted number of flagship SMEs has now been selected. The open call for SMEs in the sport and vitality sectors is still ongoing and will remain open until April 14.
Currently, the so-called matchmaking portal includes nearly 120 SMEs, five of which are from the Kainuu region.
The goal is to help these companies find a partner from another INSHAPE region – through joint projects, they gain access to regional partners’ RDI environments, research knowledge, and networks to support their business development.
In addition, Hungary hosted a Mini ELIS Pitch Stop event, where companies pitched their ideas to one another.
