The SAge-Hub project: Smart Ageing Synergies – Strengthening Interregional Innovation aims to strengthen the European Union’s (EU) capacity to respond to demographic transformations through the co-creation and validation of Smart Ageing solutions. The project seeks to establish an interregional innovation ecosystem involving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), research institutions, public authorities and citizens in the co-creation, testing and validation of solutions that promote the quality of life of older people and their communities.
Project stages:
- Living Labs & Co-creation: The establishment of Living Labs (real-life testing environments) in several EU regions to co-create, test and validate solutions focused on active and healthy ageing. One of the project’s outcomes will be the sharing of examples and lessons learned from the creation and implementation of these Living Labs.
- Value Chain Mapping & SME Capacity Building: Mapping regional innovation ecosystems and strengthening SMEs by equipping them with skills, strategic connections and integration pathways into broader value chains within the Smart Ageing domain.
- Policy Dialogue and Governance: The facilitation of ambassador-led round tables, involving key stakeholders, to align regional strategies and support the adoption of Smart Ageing governance models. The SAge-Hub Regional Innovation Ambassadors connect regional ecosystems to the European Smart Ageing innovation network and represent the four pillars of the quadruple helix: public governance, academia, industry and civil society. The aim is to ensure that innovation is aligned with policy priorities, scientific excellence, market needs and citizens’ expectations. The Ambassadors Network is open and includes candidates proposed by project partners, as well as external professionals who express interest or are nominated by their organisations and networks.
- Business Case Development:The transformation of validated solutions into robust business cases, ready for adoption, investment and scalability. One of the project’s outcomes will be the presentation of Smart Ageing solutions supported by SAge-Hub with high potential for adoption and scalability.
Main tasks in the project:
Cáritas Coimbra focuses on co-creation activities and Living Labs, contributing its community-based knowledge and experience in direct work with older people to the project, particularly in the promotion of active and healthy ageing. In addition, it aims to support SMEs and other organisations in the development and validation of solutions that are centred on the real needs of older adults.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Project Name: SAge-Hub: Smart Ageing Synergies – Strengthening Interregional Innovation
Project Acronym: SAge-Hub
Start Date: 15/09/2025
End Date: 14/09/2027
Project Total Budget: 1.748.825,12€
Coordinator Partner: Digital Innovation Zone (DIZ) (Romania)
Consortium Partners (total and name):
- Health Cluster Portugal (Portugal)
- Prizztech Ltd (Finland)
- i2cat (Spain)
- University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa (UMF lasi) (Romania)
- Cáritas Diocesana de Coimbra (Portugal)
- Governo das Ilhas Canárias (Spain)
- AKMI (Greece)
- Instituto Pedro Nunes (Portugal)
- Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (iED) (Greece)
Website: https://sage.digital-innovation.zone/
Twitter: NA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sage-hub-project
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/SAge-Hub-Project/61582576981580/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SAGE-HUB-project
Project Funding:
SAge-Hub is funded by the “Interregional Innovation Investments (I3)”, a funding instrument of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), under Grant Agreement No. 101225454. This Cohesion Policy funding instrument for the 2021–2027 period aims to support the commercialisation and scale-up of interregional innovation projects in shared smart specialisation priority areas, with the objective of fostering the development of European value chains with a strong cohesion dimension.
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