Open Innovation Collaborative Platform
The CO2 PACMAN Open Innovation Collaborative Platform, is a dynamic platform designed to foster cooperation between companies, startups, SMEs, and research centers in order to address real-world sustainability challenges. The initiative focuses on supporting the transition toward decarbonization, smarter resource management, and more sustainable development on three Mediterranean islands: Brac, Crete, and Elba.
Through this collaborative space, stakeholders can share ideas, propose innovative solutions, and work together to tackle pressing environmental and economic issues. The platform aims to stimulate innovation while promoting practical solutions that can be implemented locally and potentially replicated in other regions.
Participation in the initiative follows a structured process:
First, challenges are identified by local stakeholders from Brâc, Elba, and Crete. These challenges focus on key areas such as sustainable mobility, renewable energy, waste and water management, and the development of low-carbon industries.
Next, the Call for Solutions invites businesses, innovators, startups, and research teams to submit proposals addressing the published challenges. This open call encourages creative and practical ideas from a wide range of participants.
Following this phase, an evaluation process is carried out by each challenger (supported by local Project partners). 9 Local committees are established to assess the submitted solutions according to criteria such as feasibility, potential impact, and alignment with the project’s sustainability objectives. Each committee selects the 3 most promising solutions, to be presented during the Business Forum.
The process culminates in the Business Forum, a final event held in Valencia. During this event, innovators present and co-create their solutions, showcase their projects, and connect with potential partners, stakeholders, and investors, helping to turn promising ideas into real collaborative opportunities.
The Open Innovation Catalogue: showcasing collaborative initiatives from two pioneering Interreg Euro-MED Projects, CO2 PACMAN and BLUE DEAL, to accelerate the transition to sustainable, climate-neutral communities in the Mediterranean region.
On this website, you will explore:
- Challenges identified by local stakeholders
- Innovative solutions proposed and developed by the community
Visit the Open Innovation Collaborative Platform and learn more:
https://www.innovationcolab.eu/
VALENCIA BUSINESS FORUM
The CO2 PACMAN Business Forum, held on 25–26 June 2025 in Valencia, Spain, marked a key milestone in the project’s open innovation journey. The event brought together more than 30 expert speakers, start-ups, representatives of public authorities and impact investors from seven European countries, creating a dynamic environment for collaboration and knowledge exchange focused on Mediterranean climate and sustainability challenges.
Over the two days, participants explored 55 innovative proposals addressing critical issues such as sustainable mobility, water scarcity, plastic waste management and carbon neutral events. The forum also showcased nine real-world challenges presented by the pilot islands of Brač, Crete and Elba, where innovators responded with scalable, smart and sustainable solutions tailored to local needs.
As the culmination of the Open Innovation Collaborative Platform process, the Business Forum provided selected innovators with the opportunity to present their ideas, connect with potential partners and investors, and further develop their solutions towards real market uptake. By linking digital collaboration with in-person engagement, the CO2 PACMAN Business Forum strengthened cross-border cooperation and accelerated the transformation of innovative concepts into tangible impact for Mediterranean island communities.
