European Commission identifies 13 Spanish regions as regional innovation valleys

The Commission has identified 13 Spanish regions with particular potential for innovation and will support them under the New European Innovation Agenda. These regions are Andalusia, Aragon, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Catalonia, Extremadura, Galicia, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, Basque Country and Valencia. Across the EU, 151 regions will receive funding.

Regional Innovation Valleys, which bring together a number of regions across Europe with different levels of innovation and link their key innovation actors, aim to strengthen regional innovation ecosystems, close the innovation gap in Europe and improve Europe’s overall innovation performance.

The EU will support this initiative with €116 million under the European Innovation Ecosystems programme of Horizon Europe (the EU’s research and innovation programme) and the Interregional Innovation Investment Facility (I3) of the European Regional Development Fund. 72 regions with different levels of development and innovation are in the process of becoming regional innovation valleys, subject to the signature of grant agreements.

These regions have committed to strengthen their innovation policies and investments, focusing on the challenges facing the EU, as outlined in the New European Innovation Agenda. These include reducing dependence on fossil fuels, increasing global food security, mastering digital transformation (including cybersecurity), improving healthcare and increasing circularity.

An additional 79 regions have been identified following a call for expressions of interest to become the next regional innovation valleys, based on commitments expressed to improve the coordination and steering of innovation investments and policies, to engage in inter-regional collaboration to further develop innovation and to strengthen and connect their regional innovation ecosystems.

In addition to funding, the Commission will also support these regions through community building activities, networking and targeted communication actions.

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Background

New European Innovation Agenda

Innovation is a cross-cutting priority contributing to both the green and digital transition, European competitiveness, economic security and open strategic autonomy. In July 2022, the Commission launched the New European Innovation Agenda to put Europe at the forefront of the new wave of high-tech innovation. The 25 actions presented in the New European Innovation Agenda, grouped under five flagship initiatives, aim to:

1. improve funding for growing high-tech start-ups;
2. enable high-tech innovation through experimentation spaces and public procurement;
3. accelerate and strengthen innovation in European innovation ecosystems across the EU and address the innovation gap;
4. fostering, attracting and retaining high-tech talent; and
5. improving policy-making tools.

A 2024 report on the implementation of the New European Innovation Agenda found that thirteen of the actions had been completed and twelve were ongoing.

Regional Innovation Valleys

Regional Innovation Valleys is an action under the third flagship initiative of the New European Innovation Agenda. The initiative builds on the European Innovation Ecosystems Work Programme under Horizon Europe and the Interregional Innovation Investment Facility (I3) under the European Regional Development Fund.

It aims to connect regions across the EU and beyond that are committed to strengthening their innovation ecosystem and creating new EU value chains to contribute to key EU priorities. The resulting connected regional innovation valleys systematically involve regions with lower innovation performance in order to further reduce the innovation gap.

More information:

Nueva Agenda Europea de Innovación

Ficha informativa

Lista de valles regionales de innovación

Mapa de los valles regionales de innovación seleccionados