CERIS SSRI Event: Innovation Uptake of EU-Funded Security Research Outcomes

On the 1st of December, the European Commission organized a CERIS for Strengthened Security Research and Innovation (SSRI) event in Brussels, on Innovation Uptake of the outcomes of EU-Funded Security Research projects.

The uptake of innovation stemming from EU-funded security research is not a single-step process, and there is no single method of ensuring the market uptake of successful research results. Innovation uptake needs to be contemplated as a long process that is conditioned by a number of enabling actions to be taken before research is even planned and long after it is completed. The event focused on exchanging methods and best practices which ensure that innovation can pass from the realm of research to the realm of the market, and encouraged discussions on possible avenues fostering the uptake of innovation.

In his opening statement, Giannis Skiadaresis, Area Coordinator for Strengthening Security Research and Innovation (SSRI) in the Unit for Security Research and Innovation of DG HOME, demonstrated that:

Security is one of the main concerns of EU citizens and it remains as a top priority in the EU policy agenda. As stated in the Security Union Strategy, Europeans today face a security landscape in flux, impacted by evolving threats as well as other factors, where research and innovation are both a key for innovative solutions to complex challenges for a future-proof environment and a pillar for a strong European security ecosystem.

DG HOME presented its “Study on the Factors influencing the Uptake of EU-funded Security Research outcomes” to shed more light on those factors. The study team presented the final outcomes of the study and its findings on the factors that are enabling or hindering innovation uptake.

The initial outcomes of “Resilient Europe” Study commissioned by DG RTD were also presented. This study is intended to contribute to the ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020 and the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe, by looking at pre-defined criteria, thus highlighting enablers and barriers to innovation uptake. The presentation of the two studies was followed by an open discussion with the audience.

The event also hosted two panel discussions. The first discussed the Challenges Facing Innovation Uptake, a topic discussed by representatives from the practitioner, researcher and policy domains. The next panel focused on the “Enabling Actions to Foster Innovation Uptake. Here, many representatives from research projects and policy makers united to discuss the subject. In addition, Gregory Mounier, Head of Europol Innovation Lab presented how the future Europol’s new initiative - sandbox environment can contribute to improve the research uptake of security research outcomes.

To support these valuable discussions, Giulio Maria Mancini, Area Coordinator for Border Management in the Unit for Security Research and Innovation of DG HOME, presented various synergies between Horizon Europe and the ISF/BMVI Home affairs funds, which could help to support the transition from research results to marketable products and eventual uptake.  The presentations led to fruitful discussions, allowing to take stock of all the ideas presented during the event.

Related link

The presentations of the event are found in the event's page.