The S3 stands for Smart Specialisation Strategy. It positions itself as the major strategic framework for innovation in Wallonia.
The goal of this strategy is to define the efforts and directions of Wallonia's industrial and innovation policy to further strengthen its international competitiveness and attractiveness by generating significant economic and societal impacts.
It seeks to address societal and environmental challenges with innovative solutions.
"Innovating together to meet the societal needs of today and tomorrow"
The concept of S3 was first introduced by the European Union as part of its European cohesion policy for the period 2014-2020. It was adopted by the Walloon Government and renewed for the period 2021-2027.
Wallonia has seized the opportunity of the European S3 policy framework to go further: it starts from societal needs to support innovation where it can meet these societal challenges.
It plays a central role in bringing together all innovation stakeholders around a common vision for the economic and technological development of the region.
It contributes to guiding investments, strengthening regional competitiveness, and promoting sustainable economic growth by focusing on the 5 areas where Wallonia can excel and innovate competitively called in French Domaines d’Innovation Stratégiques – DIS : #DIS1 circular materials, #DIS2 innovation for enhanced health, #DIS3 agile and safe design and production methods, #DIS4 sustainable energy systems and housing, #DIS5 future agri-food chains and innovative environmental management.
These 5 DIS are operationalized through 19 Strategic Innovation Initiatives: these are groups of related, synergistic, and ambitious projects forming coherent critical masses oriented towards the deployment of value chains (with Walloon anchorage, but open to external partnerships).
75% of the Walloon annual budget for research and innovation is concentrated on the priority sectors defined in the Walloon S3
-
Industry
-
Government Administration
-
Company size
-
2-10 employees
-
Headquarters
-
Namur, Wallonie
-
Type
-
Government Agency
-
Founded
-
2014
-
Specialties
-
Innovation, Stratégie, Industrie, Environnement, Economie, Matériaux circulaires, Santé, Production, Habitat, Energie, Agroalimentaire, Conception, Technologie, Numérique, Mobilité, and Biodiversité
