Supporting the emergence & development of European ecosystems dedicated to the silver & ageing economy
Senior Eco-Nect
Senior Eco-Nect aims to connect different aspects of the silver economy with a specific focus on integrated and inclusive policy development to maximise the benefits of the silver economy for all.
‘Silver Economy’ designates the economy of the older population or the sum of all economic activities and the whole range of products and services that serve the needs of people aged 50 and over. The project consortium will work together to produce important policy outputs culminating in the publication of a Joint Action Plan and including regional SWOT analyses, Stakeholder mapping and strategy development.
The silver economy is, by nature, very fragmented because it is:
- a transversal sector covering a range of areas (health, nutrition, sport, tourism housing, among others) each with high innovation potential;
- it includes many types of stakeholders and organisations that don’t often meet or connect but could strongly benefit from each sharing perspectives, and
- there is a 'deficit of Europe' (lack of homogeneity in Europe) in the silver economy with regulations and reimbursement systems that differ from country to country resulting in a fragmentation and inefficiencies across of the sector.
The overall objective of Senior Eco-Nect project is to prepare a joint action plan to support the emergence and the development of European ECOsystems dedicated to the silver and ageing ECOnomy, as well as ensuring the inclusivity and interconNECTivity between all the key innovation stakeholders of the sector and cross-sectors. The silver economy integrates solutions targeted at older people that need tailored support to grow and to experiment with the target group using a citizen-centred approach.
More precisely, the Senior Eco-Nect project aims to:
- Support the emergence, growth, efficiency, and interconnection of at least 4 European ecosystems dedicated to the silver economy.
- Unlock the full potential of the silver economy sector by integrating key transversal areas targeting the ageing population beyond the scope of health and care.
- Ensure inclusiveness and interconnectivity between the key innovation players from across the quadruple helix around the sector of silver economy at the local, regional, national, and European level and beyond.
- Increase the efficiency and innovation potential of silver economy innovators and projects by addressing key challenges and exploiting the opportunities offered by silver economy.
- Encourage synergies and complementarities between Senior Eco-Nect Joint Action Plan and the innovation programmes of public authorities.
Six partners, representing innovation ecosystems and sectoral networks, will join forces and strategies toward the strengthening of European innovation ecosystem in the silver economy. Their effort will be supported by the engagement of 32 associated partners representing key innovation ecosystems members of the quadruple helix (industry, academia, public authorities, and civil society across Europe).
As lead partner, Eurasanté is in charge of the communication activities, the preparation of the joint Action Plan and the management of the project
The Hincks Centre will lead on the fourth project work package to deliver a report on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats within and across the partner regions and will produce a strategy document to accelerate progress in leveraging the silver economy potential.
Funded by Horizon Europe - European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE), the project kicked-off online on July 19, 2022 and will run for 24 months.
An information leaflet summarising the project and its objectives can be viewed/downloaded by clicking here.
Senior Eco-Nect Project News
Keep up to date with project developments, activities and events. Below are links to the Senior Eco-Nect articles as seen in the News section of our website.
- Kick-off Meeting for Hincks' newest project. Horizon EIE. July 19, 2022.
- Partner Meeting - Work package review and upcoming activities. September 6, 2022.
- Senior ECO-Nect in Arras, France - Project Partner Meeting & Study Visit. 30 September, 2022.
- Launch of Senior Eco-Nect Project - Registration Open for Senior Eco-Nect Kick-Off Event. 17 October, 2022.
- Senior Eco-Nect Kick-Off Event - Public Launch of Horizon Europe Project. 24 October, 2022.
- Scoping Emergence & Interconnectivity in Silver Economy Ecosystems - Hincks to Host Senior Eco-Nect Event. 02 November, 2022
- Hincks Hosts International Working Group - Senior Eco-Nect Project. 07 November, 2022
- Hincks Hosts Senior Eco-Nect Partner Meeting - Beyond The Trees, Outputs, Milestones & Walking Soccer! 09 December, 2022
- Silver Economy in the Areas of Sport and Tourism - Senior EcoNect Project Showcases Two Key Sectoral Ecosystem Elements. 12 December, 2022
- Senior Eco-Nect Newsletter Launched - Issue 1 Available Now. 06 January, 2023
Senior Eco-Nect Project Newsletters
- Issue 1: Discover the Senior Eco-Nect project and read about the successful kick-off meeting, the first ecosystem visit in Arras, France, and recent awards received by some of our partners. January 2023.
If you would like to subscribe to the Senior Eco-Nect Newsletter, please visit the project website at https://www.senior-eco-nect.com/.
Partner Locations
The lead partner is Eurasanté, Loos, France with other partners:
- Munster Technological University - Hincks Centre for Entrepreneurship Excellence, Cork, Ireland;
- Slovensko Inovacijsko Sticisceevropsko Gospodarsko Interesnozdruzenje (SIH EEIG), (Slovenian Innovation Hub), Ljubljana, Slovenia;
- Asociacion Cluster Saude De Galicia (CSG), Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
- European Platform For Sports and Innovation (EPSI), Brussels, Belgium and
- European Network for Accessible Tourism ASBL (ENAT), (Non-profit association promoting accessible tourism in the EU and worldwide), Brussels, Belgium.
https://www.senior-eco-nect.com/