Between February 3-4, the Digital Innovation Zone (DIZ) team, represented by Cristina Baghiu – DIZ Hub Coordinator and Adina Serediuc – SAge-Hub Program Lead, participated in a Living Labs training organized by i2CAT at the CETT-Alimara Living Lab in Barcelona, within the European project SAge-Hub.
The working visit aimed to deepen the understanding of the Living Labs methodology and strengthen interregional collaboration for the development of digital innovation ecosystems dedicated to active and healthy ageing. On the first day, consortium partners took part in an intensive workshop focused on understanding how Living Labs function as dynamic and complex environments where innovative solutions are developed, tested, and validated in real-life contexts.
Discussions centered on further exploring the Living Labs concept, based on the quadruple helix model – academia, industry, public authorities, and civil society, as well as on stakeholder engagement strategies, governance models, and the long-term sustainability of Living Lab initiatives. Participants examined user-centered co-creation processes designed to address the real needs of Europe’s ageing population.
During the second part of the first day, partners visited the CETT-Alimara Living Lab, a living lab dedicated to the hospitality industry, created within the hotel hosting the SAge-Hub consortium.
On the second day, the DIZ delegation visited Suara Cooperativa, a Living Lab focused on addressing regional social challenges, with nearly 40 years of experience in social services. In this case, the Living Lab ecosystem emerged organically from the organization’s activity and evolved into an integrated business model supporting the services provided to its beneficiaries.
The knowledge and best practices gained in Barcelona will directly support the next phase of the SAge-Hub project, during which partners will activate regional ecosystems with the goal of establishing both a physical Living Lab in Iași and a digital Living Lab platform to be used by the other participating regions in the SAge-Hub programme – the Canary Islands, Greece, Portugal, and Finland.
“The experience in Barcelona showed us how necessary and relevant the Living Labs concept is for our region. Through this testing model, we offer companies benefiting from Living Lab services the opportunity to validate their products with real users and regional stakeholders from the prototype stage. This helps avoid launching products without real market demand or products that are not properly understood or used as intended by end users,” stated Adina Serediuc, SAge-Hub Program Lead.
At the same time, the project is expanding its community through the launch of the Ambassadors Call, dedicated to innovation leaders and regional connectors. In the coming period, a dedicated call for SMEs developing smart ageing/age-tech products will also be launched, offering them the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and test their solutions through the resources provided by the SAge-Hub programme.
By participating in this workshop, Digital Innovation Zone further strengthens its role as a facilitator of digital innovation in North-East Romania and as an active partner within European networks developing solutions for a more connected, inclusive, and healthier society.
SAge-Hub is funded by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) under the I3 Instrument and is implemented in partnership with:
Prizztech Oy | i2CAT Research Centre | IED Institute of Entrepreneurship Development | Instituto Pedro Nunes | Ministry of Economy, Industry, Trade and Independent Workers – Government of the Canary Islands | Universitatea de Medicină și Farmacie Grigore T. Popa Iași | Health Cluster Portugal | Cáritas Diocesana de Coimbra | AKMI International