Dear Sir/Madam,

The EU-funded project Procure4Health is inviting public and private healthcare procurers to apply for the 3rd Call for Twinnings to exchange know-how about innovation procurement. Procure4Health will provide an appropriate environment for public and private procurers, as well as the wider health and social care community, to effectively share knowledge, build capacities of procurers, define common needs and advance innovation procurement in the EU. Apply before 17 June 2024 to receive €30,000 funding for your twinning proposal.

Discover how the new European Partnership 'Innovative Advanced Materials for the EU' is set to transform strategic markets for the green and digital transitions. This initiative aims to boost European technology sovereignty and industrial competitiveness by delivering safe, sustainable materials and technologies tailored to the circular economy.

The buyers group of the Norwegian waste management companies ØAS, ROAF, IVAR, Sesam Ressurs AS, and REG is inviting interested bidders to submit offers for their pre-commercial procurement to develop a system for improving the use of small residue waste (less than 60mm) and improving the reuse of the organic part of residue waste. Deadline for submission of offers: 26 April 2024

Hybrid manufacturing of microfluidic devices benefits medical diagnostics.

Are you a public buyer that could use some help in preparing and implementing your next innovation procurement? Keen to explore the use of an ICT based solution? Get in touch with the European Assistance for Innovation Procurement (EAFIP) to request local assistance now. Public buyers from all thematic fields are welcome: for example public transport, healthcare, environment, water, energy, public administration, construction, security, education etc. Applications are assessed on a monthly basis.

Spring is in bloom and so are the next events related to the AU-EU Innovation Agenda! In this issue, find out more about the session on bridging the financing gap to achieve the goals of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda, which will take place at the 6th African Science, Technology and Innovation Forum (ARSTIF) on 21-22 April 2024. Reserve your virtual seat for the second edition of the online workshop series on the implementation of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda, with a special focus on access to finance, on 29 May 2024. Missed the European Research & Innovation Days 2024? Watch the recording of the session dedicated to the Joint AU-EU Innovation Agenda. Or watch the eagerly awaited after movie of the 2022 AU-EU Innovation Stakeholder Event in Nairobi. If you haven't already done so, we invite you to visit the Dashboard of AU-EU Innovation Agenda Initiatives and the AU-EU Innovation Interface. We wish you a pleasant reading!

The European Commission has announced the finalists of the 2024 edition of the European Natura 2000 Award!

The PROCURE4HEALTH buyers group brings together 18 healthcare buyers from France, Belgium, Poland, Italy, Portugal, UK, Denmark, Turkey, Poland, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Estonia and Greece. The buyers group invites all interested suppliers to participate in the open market consultation for its upcoming pre-commercial procurement that challenges the market to develop innovative solutions for on-site treatment of hospital wastewater. Join the online meeting on 3 April between 10h00-11h30 CET and complete the online questionnaire.

The German cyberagency Cyberagentur is looking for innovative solutions that can deliver an early warning radar based on pattern analysis in cybercrime activity and forecast future cybercrime developments. Interested suppliers are invited to submit by 2 April 2024 their interest to participate in the pre-commercial procurement that will finance the development of these solutions.

In the SPACE4CITIES buyers group, cities from Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece and Portugal are preparing together a pre-commercial procurement to buy innovative solutions for dynamic management of public space, green areas, transport infrastructure and city maintenance. Participate in the upcoming SPACE4CITIES webinars on 28 March and 25 April 2024 to learn more about the buyers' needs.

Less than two years after its launch, the New European Innovation Agenda (NEIA) is in full swing. According to a report published today by the Commission, 13 out of its 25 actions have been completed while another 12 are ongoing. This ambitious agenda aims at boosting deep tech innovation and untapping innovation potential in Europe through a variety of actions in five flagship areas and with a central role of the European Innovation Council (EIC), as well as the European Institute for Innovation and technology (EIT).

The Commission, together with the European Research Area countries and stakeholders, has put forward a set of guidelines to support the European research community in their responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (AI).

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The AU-EU Innovation Interface works as a matching tool. Its core purpose is to support the implementation of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda by supporting the connection between Businesses, Research, Innovators and Stakeholders from both Africa and Europe.

Last 12-14 February, AU-EU research and innovation stakeholders met in Tema, Ghana, to discuss the future of cooperation on Food, Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture partnership (FNSSA). One of the main outcomes of this gathering was the launch of an International Research Consortium (IRC), to be operationalised soon through a "Consortium Europe-Africa on Research and Innovation for Food Systems Transformation" (CEA-FIRST).

Last 15 June 2023, the first African Union (AU)-European Union (EU) Innovation Festival was hosted by the EU, the AU, and the Republic of South Africa on the occasion of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda's adoption process. It attracted over 450 participants on site and online, from both Africa and Europe.

Did you miss the latest AU-EU Innovation Agenda Workshop Deep Tech Training Transformation Scheme? The live online session was recorded, and we are pleased to share the four training modules on Intellectual Property Rights in innovation and business-oriented ecosystems.

Read about the results of the Horizon IP Scan, a pilot advisory service to help European start-ups and SMEs with intellectual assets management and valorisation in EU-funded R&I collaborations.

Get inspired by engaging speakers sharing their insights on facilitating co-creation and collaboration between academia, industry, and society for an enhanced uptake of research results.