The focus group reorganized its work after the summer break. Key regional innovation and procurement stakeholders received an update on what has happened in PREPARE during the first period. Special interest was paid in the results of interviews and inquiries. The group also enhanced preliminary ideas for the Regional Action Plan. The Focus group wants the Oulu region to be the forerunner in innovation adaption and procurement.
In the next meeting in October, the focus group will set the framework for the Regional Action Plan which features strategic and practical measures. Important action also will be how the City of Oulu, Wellness County POHDE, and Council of Oulu Region implement the Regional Action Plan in real-life work in the future.
City of Oulu utilized greatly PREPARE process and results in application of European Capital of Innovation Awards (European Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital) 2024: discover the semi-finalists! – European Commission (europa.eu). Oulu has reached the semi-finals in the competition. The main themes of the City of Oulu’s Innovation Capital application are 1) Skills for a sustainable future and continuous learning, 2) A long history of cooperation and continuous development of the local RDI ecosystem, 3) Co-creation and experimentation: the city as a testbed for innovation.
