Ms. Margarita Chrysaki, represented NEREUS, at the event “Exploring the Innovation Ecosystem: Clusters as Catalysts for Regional Competitiveness,” held on 3–4 June 2025 in Rzeszów, Poland.
The event was hosted by the Podkarpackie Region and co-organized by the European Commission, the Marshal’s Office of the Podkarpackie Region, and the European Cluster Collaboration Platform, with the support of the Polish Clusters Association.
During her intervention, Ms. Chrysaki underlined the vital role NEREUS plays in fostering interregional collaboration, bringing together regional governments, academia, industry, and user communities. By promoting the uptake of space technologies for regional development, NEREUS strengthens local innovation ecosystems through dialogue, joint projects, and policy engagement—ensuring regional voices are included in European space strategies.
A key highlight of the event was the announcement by NEREUS Vice-President Marshal Władysław Ortyl (Podkarpackie Region) on the development of a Drone Valley, positioning the region as a hub for unmanned aerial systems and innovation.
🏛️ About the Event
“Clusters Meet Regions” is an initiative by the European Commission under the umbrella of the EU Industry Days 2025, held this year under the Polish Presidency of the EU Council. The event brought together nearly 150 participants, including:
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Representatives of the European Commission (DG GROW)
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Cluster organizations from Poland and across Europe
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Regional and local government officials
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Business support organizations and innovation stakeholders
💡 Key topics discussed during panels and workshops included:
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Building innovation ecosystems through networked cooperation
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The role of clusters in accelerating regional and national competitiveness
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Industry transformation towards a zero-emission economy
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Dual-use technologies enhancing both security and innovation
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The future of unmanned systems and their applications
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The strategic impact of European funding programmes on regional growth
🌐 Events like Clusters Meet Regions exemplify the importance of synergies between regions, clusters, science, and business. The Podkarpackie Region continues to be a strong example of building smart specialization-based ecosystems, home to over 1,200 entities from startups to global industry leaders.
