On 16 November, Commissioner Elisa Ferreira presided over the REGIOSTARS awards ceremony at the closing ceremony held in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
REGIOSTARS is the DG REGIO’s annual award competition for EU-funded projects. Two Alpine Space projects, CIRCULAR 4.0 and Smart Altitude, successfully made it to the shortlist of finalists, out of 228 applications. Last October, the finalists pitched their projects during the EU Regions Week in Bruxelles and reached the last step of the competition in Ostrava.
Circular4.0 was finalist in the “A competitive and smart Europe” category. The project aimed to boost innovation and speed up the shift to a circular economy (CE) in the Alpine Space by enhancing the digitalization processes of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Over the course of three years, Circular4.0 provided training to nearly 300 SMEs, helping them adopt digital tools. This, in turn, made them more innovative, allowed them to reshape their business strategies, and encouraged investment. The project spanned five member states (Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Germany, France) and involved a variety of stakeholders, including businesses, research institutions, public authorities, and civil society organizations.
Smart Altitude, finalist in the “A green Europe” category, embarked on a pioneering initiative to assist Alpine ski resorts in addressing the challenges posed by climate change. This innovative project stands out for its holistic approach to implementing low-carbon policies, incorporating common performance indicators, monitoring systems, and energy management systems specifically tailored for mountainous regions. Smart Altitude serves as a testament to the technical efficiency and economic viability of a well-designed process for the implementation of low-carbon programs in ski resorts. The project’s success lies in the active engagement of all stakeholders, fostering coordination and synergies through inclusive territorial governance. Initially trialed in four pilot areas (living labs), the solutions studied have proven successful and have already been embraced by 26 ski resorts across six Alpine countries.
The winners from the six categories and the public choice winner, listed below, were bestowed not only with the honor of their accolades but also with a local communication campaign managed in cooperation with DG REGIO. This strategic initiative serves the pivotal purpose of amplifying the visibility and impact of the lauded initiatives within their respective regions.
- A COMPETITIVE AND SMART EUROPE: Edificio Fundación Pasqual Maragall
- A GREEN EUROPE: From mine to river. The Water Guardians!
- A CONNECTED EUROPE: Dynaxibility4CE
- A SOCIAL AND INCLUSIVE EUROPE: ProFem 2.0
- A EUROPE CLOSER TO THE CITIZENS: EuregioFamilyPass
- TOPIC OF THE YEAR (European Year of Skills 2023): Techgrounds West
- PUBLIC CHOICE AWARD: Cultural Art Centre: Museum and Library.
More info on the winners and finalists here
