High-level Select Roundtable Discussion: Unlocking Nordic Testbeds – Removing Cross-Border Barriers to Innovation | 12 March | 11.00–14.00 | Swedish Embassy, Oslo |
Moderated by: Caitriona Mullan, B-Solutions Advisor and Cross-Border Expert, AEBR
The Svinesund Committee and the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), in cooperation with the Swedish Embassy in Norway, and Nordic Innovation, are pleased to invite you to a high-level select roundtable discussion exploring cross-border solutions in strengthening access to Nordic testbeds- ultimately boosting innovation across the Nordic Region as a whole. This event is supported by the European Commission funded b-Solutions initiative, delivered by the Association of European Border Regions.
The Svinesund Committee has, in a recent b-Solutions case study, highlighted existing challenges in public enterprise funding models in both Sweden and Norway, which act to prevent small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) accessing and using innovation testbeds and their services in the neighbouring country. The need for improved collaboration around testbeds has also been recently highlighted in several Nordic media, including Forskningspolitikk, Tidningen Curie and Teknisk Ukeblad.
The AEBR/European Commission (DG REGIO) b-Solutions initiative has established a large international body of research and practice which focuses on multilevel governance approaches to solving legal and administrative obstacles to cross-border mobility, trade and regulatory harmonisation – across the EU and in the wider EU neighbourhood, in recognition of the benefits for shared competitiveness.
The issue of access to testbeds is an important part of a broader challenge how to best utilize our shared research and innovation infrastructure in the Nordic Region to strengthen global competitiveness. The purpose of the roundtable will be to provide key stakeholders with an opportunity to review the evidence, and to discuss and identify appropriate next steps toward achieving Nordic collaboration on testbeds and research infrastructure- in ways which can amplify innovation ecosystems beyond borders.
