The DRIVE Consortium
The DRIVE consortium consists of 13 organizations (including the Associated Partners) involved in sectors such as biobased, research, business and, municipalities, coming from 11 different countries.
Consortium partners come from both low/moderate innovation regions (Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Cyprus, Spain) and from strong/high innovation regions (Belgium, France, Ireland, Finland).
The consortium has been carefully selected to cover all areas of expertise for the purpose of the project and is able to complete all foreseen tasks, also including 3 rural municipalities.
All the team members are experienced professionals with remarkable experience in their respective fields and the project members have a great gender balance (56,5% of the DRIVE team are women).
Consorzio Italbiotec Consortium is the coordinator of the DRIVE project. Italbiotec is the leading Italian non-profit organization in industrial biotechnology. Founded in 1998, Italbiotec operates through five hubs and research centres of excellence, engaging over 180 innovators across the Life Sciences, Bioeconomy, and Agri-Food sectors. Its community includes 30 Italian universities, research centres, and more than 150 SMEs and large enterprises.
Cleantech is the coordinator of AFCOS. Cleantech Bulgaria is a business network for sustainable development connecting key ecosystem stakeholders in working jointly on mutual complex challenges. Cleantech supports and focuses on the future of clean technologies and sustainable growth, while connecting businesses in support of the development of innovation and the formation of strategic partnerships in the fields of green business, the environment, science and education.
The European Chemical Regions Network (ECRN) brings together European regions in which the chemical industry plays a crucial role in economic development, growth, and employment. By facilitating interregional cooperation, policy development, and participating in European projects, the network advocates for a strong regional dimension in the EU chemical policy agenda to create European modern and sustainable value chains.
Center for Social Innovation (CSI) is a Research and Development organization, which focuses on fostering social innovation that can bring about a positive change to local, national, regional, and global entities. These entities include but are not limited to governments, local administrative agencies, non-for-profit agencies, commercial entities, and educational institutions. The CSI team is composed of open-minded, fully equipped researchers, entrepreneurs, project managers, trainers, and Information Technology specialists.
nEUlakes was born as a spontaneous participatory network in 2010 when the Municipality of Iseo (IT), together with other small towns located on or nearby a lake, organised a cultural event entitled “Festival dei Laghi”. Today, the Association counts 17 members from 15 EU Member States, thus covering all areas within the European continent. nEUlakes’ main goal is to establish long-term cooperations between municipalities and other institutions located on lakeside areas using a holistic approach that encompasses various dimensions, for instance the cultural, the environmental, the social and the economic ones.
Nestled in the heart of Central Macedonia, the Municipality of Emmanouil Pappas, named after a National Hero the Major General of the Greek Revolution in Macedonia in 1821 Emmanuel Pappas. It combines natural beauty, rich biodiversity, and cultural heritage. Covering 33,784 hectares, the Municipality was created through the merger of the former Municipalities of Emmanouil Pappas and Strymonas. The Municipality is home to 17 picturesque settlements across 16 Communities, where tradition, hospitality, and history meet everyday life.
Bohinj is a paradise valley embraced by the Julian Alps. Lake Bohinj, that lies in the heart of the Triglav National Park, one of the oldest national parks in Europe, is the largest Slovenian natural lake, nested at the foot of unspoilt mountains and mountain tops. The municipality inspires with its charm throughout the year. It is possible to enjoy various activities and exceptional views, meet friendly local people and explore and experience the primal nature.
Anci Lombardia associates more than 1,400 municipalities in the region, supports them and follows their requests, which are often peculiar to national and other regions. Anci Lombardia is a concrete reality that brings forward requests and promotes initiatives and services, involving the territories in experiences that make all municipalities, from the big city to the small hamlet, feel part of a country oriented to the future, to the development and growth, not only economic, of its communities, but also committed to ensuring that each territory can share opportunities and challenges.
AB Corporation specialiSes in enhancing project and programme environments, crafting bespoke corporate strategies to achieve organizational goals. Renowned for their exceptional success in writing EU-funded projects, AB Corporation offer comprehensive services in EU Project Writing and Management, EU Affairs & Advocacy, Training in EU Funds & European Affairs.
F6S is the leading platform for application management for commercial, corporate, government, university and other accelerator programs, helping more than 20,000 such initiatives worldwide. Every year F6S processes more than 700,000 applications and delivers about €3 billion to startups/SMEs! F6S is best experienced in creating an effective recruitment campaign, targeting the right SMEs/Startups, disseminating the open call far and wide and managing the selection process of the applicants.
Chambéry-Grand Lac Économie drives economic development in the Chambéry and Lac du Bourget area, in the French Alps. Its key roles include supporting businesses, developing business parks, and boosting the region’s attractiveness for investment and employment. Chambéry-Grand Lac Économie combines innovation with its Savoie Technolac Incubator, natural beauty, and strategic positioning to support sustainable growth.
Manzanares el Real is a 9,400-inhabitant town in the Northwestern area of the Autonomous Community of Madrid. It is located at the foot of La Pedriza, a part of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, and next to the Santillana reservoir. The municipality hosts various historic points of interest: Mendoza’s Castle, one of the best-preserved mediaeval fortresses in Spain, the Old Castle (Castillo Viejo), the Cañada Real Bridge, the first paper factory in Spain and the Museum Ethnological and Archaeological are some examples.
Imatra is a municipality located in Southeastern Finland, along the Vuoksi River that flows from Lake Saimaa to Lake Ladoga. It can be considered the birthplace of Finnish tourism. Imatra stands out for its enchanted nature. In fact, Lake Saimaa is considered the treasure of Eastern Finland, which has also been recognized internationally. The region is home to numerous interesting geological sites, either natural or made by humans. The various giant kettles, cliffs, and canals tell their own story of the region’s development.
