Rocketeers push the German-Dutch border region forward
Increased competitiveness through rapid technology transfer and straightforward innovation projects – this is the secret to ROCKETs success, which has been selected by the European Commission as a proven method for promoting the development of key technologies. ROCKET Reloaded is the follow-up program and faces the task of continuing this success.
In both projects “ROCKET” means RegiOnal Collaboration on Key Enabling Technologies and stands for cross-border cooperation between industry and science in the German-Dutch borderland between the North Sea and the Lower Rhine to strengthen research, technological development and innovation. The focus is on key enabling technologies (KET) such as nanotechnology, microsystems technology, micro- and nanoelectronics, advanced materials as well as photonics. Developments in these fields provide the building blocks for those necessary innovations for addressing the global challenges.
On June 18, 2019, over fifty stakeholders from industry, science and politics met at the Kick-off Meeting in the Euregio Forum in Kleve to gain insights into the new Interreg V A project ROCKET Reloaded. During this event, they discussed new project ideas with potential partners, gained inspiration from newly implemented innovation projects, or simply established and strengthened cross-border contacts.
In search of new Rocketeers
ROCKET Reloaded has started with three initial innovation projects. but there is an open call in this project for new innovation projects that develop innovative solutions in the application areas of health, energy and production using key technologies. In addition, a strategy for strengthening the German-Dutch border region in the field of key technologies is to be developed in several think tanks.
SMEs with ideas for new innovation projects can contact the organizing partners within the program for support and feedback. Each project must have a minimum of one SME on each side of the border and can apply for a project up to €275.000 in costs.
Become a part of ROCKET Reloaded and apply with your cross-border project idea for the financing of an innovation project, which you can carry out together with one or more partners on the other side of the border. The countdown has started!
The high-tech potential of the border region as strategic advantage
INTERREG projects promote transnational cooperation between regions within the framework of the “European Territorial Cooperation”. This makes them one of the central instruments of European cohesion and regional policy. Therefore, all financiers were represented among the guests: INTERREG Deutschland-Nederland, the Ministry of Economic Affaris and Climate, the Ministry of Economics, Innovation, Digitisation and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia and the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Gelderland.
Find more information online at www.rocket-innovations.eu