Building Smart Green SME Ecosystem: Transforming MED SMEs into active participants of a smart and green ecosystem and enhancing the economic activity of the food industry

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B NEXT Mediterranean Sea Basin (NEXT MED)

Date of latest update: 2026-02-27

Description

Description (EN):

PROJECT TYPE: 1 - Thematic projects ~ MAIN INTERVENTION FIELD: 026. Support for innovation clusters including between businesses, research organisations and public authorities and business networks primarily benefiting SMEs ~ SUMMARY: PROJECT IDEA: This project aims to create a MED food industry ecosystem comprising 100 SMEs to foster collaboration and facilitate digital and green transitions, aligning with three main EU policies: industrial strategy and ecosystems development, digital transition, and green transition. It includes four implementation WPs: WP3 focusing on setting up the SME ecosystem, WP4 dedicated to developing services and collaborative platforms for digital and green practices, WP5 on using these services by 100 SMEs, and WP6 ensuring the ecosystem's sustainability and its scale-up to all MED countries. CHALLENGES: The project addresses growth challenges in the MED food industry. It promotes ecosystem development, collaboration, and supply chains among SMEs in MED countries. Additionally, it advances the digital and green transition of SMEs through data awareness, benchmarking, learning, capacity building, and collaborative new product development. EXPECTED CHANGE to EXISTING SITUATION: The project will lead to the development of an ecosystem, 100 procurement agreements, smart green capacity building in 10 thematic areas, and NPD collaboration and creation of 10 new product prototypes. The services sustaining these outputs will be offered to all MED food SMEs. MAIN OUTPUTS: The project will establish an ecosystem of 100 SMEs from four MED countries. Beyond the project, it will open the ecosystem for participation to all MED SMEs. It will create an Association of SMEs to promote the MED food industry and develop four platform-based services for AI-based benchmarking, capacity building, digital procurement/trade, and new product development. The project will ensure the utilization of all services by 100 SMEs in the food industry, sustaining joint supply chains, and digital and green practices. Ultimately, the project aims to provide a model for ecosystem development and smart green transition in the MED food industry, enabling future replication in other industry groups. ~ KEEP KEYWORDS: Clustering and economic cooperation, ICT and digital society, Innovation capacity and awareness-raising

Expected Achievements (EN):

Management coordination Communication and dissemination CODE: SO1ER1 ~ SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: To create and promote a transnational ecosystem of industrial SMEs, cooperating over value chains, business networking, and exchanging data and good practices to improve their digital and green performance and growth. (SO inspired from action type A.1.3.2.) ~ EXPECTED RESULT: Formation of a smart green ecosystem, comprising industrial SMEs from the MED counties, cooperating across borders, during and after the duration of the project. The ecosystem will comprise SMEs from the 4 cooperating countries, but at the end of the project, through the setting of an association. CODE: SO2ER2 ~ SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: To implement transnational initiatives and services for the digital and green transformation of industry SMEs, including transnational e-business/e-commerce tools, skills and capacity building, and collaborative innovations for the green transition. (SO inspired from action type A.1.3.5.) ~ EXPECTED RESULT: Four services will be organised collaboratively by the SMEs, based on digital platforms and e-tools: (1) benchmarking digital and green performance to draft related action plans, (2) capacity building for smart green good practice, (3) digital procurement, (4) collaborative new product development. CODE: SO2ER2 ~ SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: To implement transnational initiatives and services for the digital and green transformation of industry SMEs, including transnational e-business/e-commerce tools, skills and capacity building, and collaborative innovations for the green transition. (SO inspired from action type A.1.3.5.) ~ EXPECTED RESULT: Four services will be organised collaboratively by the SMEs, based on digital platforms and e-tools: (1) benchmarking digital and green performance to draft related action plans, (2) capacity building for smart green good practice, (3) digital procurement, (4) collaborative new product development. CODE: SO1ER1 ~ SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: To create and promote a transnational ecosystem of industrial SMEs, cooperating over value chains, business networking, and exchanging data and good practices to improve their digital and green performance and growth. (SO inspired from action type A.1.3.2.) ~ EXPECTED RESULT: Formation of a smart green ecosystem, comprising industrial SMEs from the MED counties, cooperating across borders, during and after the duration of the project. The ecosystem will comprise SMEs from the 4 cooperating countries, but at the end of the project, through the setting of an association.

Project outputs: (1.1) 1.1. Project Management/Coordination and Communication(EN)
(1.2) 1.2. Project Administration & Consortium Meetings Organisation(EN)
(1.3) 1.3. Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan(EN)
(1.4) 1.4. Quality Assurance and Progress Monitoring(EN)
(1.5) 1.5. Evaluation Tools and Evaluation Reports (interim/final)(EN)
(2.1) 2.1. Dissemination and Communication Plan(EN)
(2.2) 2.2. Dissemination Materials(EN)
(2.3) 2.3. Conferences and Events(EN)
(2.4) 2.4. Exploitation and Follow-up Action Plan(EN)
(3.1) 3.1. Τhe Agri-food industry in CY, GR, TN, JO: Opportunities for twin transition. A detailed report(EN)
(3.2) 3.2. Establishing a MED Industry ecosystem with 100 food SMEs from Cyprus, Greece, Tunisia, Jordan(EN)
(3.3) 3.3. Guidelines for ecosystem services: Co-design with beneficiaries of services and platforms(EN)
(3.4) 3.4. Database: Data needs and input sources, security and privacy protocols and methods(EN)
(4.1) 4.1. Service: Design and development of benchmarking platform with AI tools to improve smart green p(EN)
(4.2) 4.2. Service: Design and development of good practice, digital and green skills platform(EN)
(4.3) 4.3. Service: Design and development of digital procurement and supply chains platform(EN)
(4.4) 4.4. Service: Design and development of collaborative new product development platform(EN)
(5.1) 5.1. Benchmarking reports and action plans to improve smart green performance(EN)
(5.2) 5.2. Training, learning, and skills development for smart green practices(EN)
(5.3) 5.3. Procurement agreements and supply chain development between MED SMEs(EN)
(5.4) 5.4. Collaborative new product development – Product or service prototypes(EN)
(6.1) 6.1. Sustainability and Scalability Report(EN)
(6.2) 6.2. Policy Recommendation Document with impact assessment(EN)
(6.3) 6.3. Stakeholder Engagement for Sustainability and Partnership Model(EN)
(6.4) 6.4. MED Food Industry Association Development Program(EN)

Thematic information

Innovation capacity and awareness-raising ICT and digital society SME and entrepreneurship

Priority: (VI-B_MSB_1) Priority 1: A more competitive and smarter Mediterranean

Priority specific objective: RSO1.3. Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investments

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO1 A more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity

Type of intervention: 026 Support for innovation clusters including between businesses, research organisations and public authorities and business networks primarily benefiting SMEs

Partners (4)

Lead Partner: RTD TALOS LIMITED

Partner’s ID if not PIC: ΗΕ 115315 | PROFIT MAKING: True ~ STATUS PUBLIC: False

Address: Diogenous 1Kykkos Commercial CenterBlock A, 4Nicosia, Cyprus

Legal status: private

Organisation type: N.a.

Website: http://www.talos-rtd.com

Total budget: EUR 698 600.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 621 754.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 89.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 76 846.00

شركة عالم الاستثمار للتنمية والتكنولوجيا

Name: شركة عالم الاستثمار للتنمية والتكنولوجيا

Department: ICT Service provider, Project base Management,

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 200021948 | PROFIT MAKING: True ~ STATUS PUBLIC: False

Address: Um Sumaq – Kettem Street, Building 6 Amman, Jordan

Legal status: private

Organisation type: N.a.

Total budget: EUR 706 900.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 629 141.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 89.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 77 759.00

جامعة قرطاج

Name: جامعة قرطاج

Department: Departement 1: Higher Institute of Food Industries of Tunis ESIAT Departement 2: Higher Institute of Sciences and Environnemental Technologies ISSTE

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 996994034 | PROFIT MAKING: False ~ STATUS PUBLIC: True

Address: Sidi Bou Said, Av. de la RépubliqueCarthage, Tunisia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: N.a.

Website: https://ucar.rnu.tn/

Total budget: EUR 695 400.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 618 906.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 89.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 76 494.00

ARISTOTELIO PANEPISTIMIO THESSALONIKIS – EIDIKOS LOGARIASMOS KONDILION EREVNAS

Name: ARISTOTELIO PANEPISTIMIO THESSALONIKIS – EIDIKOS LOGARIASMOS KONDILION EREVNAS

Department: URBAN AND REGIONAL INNOVATION (URENIO) RESEARCH

Partner’s ID if not PIC: EL-090049627 | PROFIT MAKING: False ~ STATUS PUBLIC: True

Address: Thessaloniki, Greece

Legal status: public

Organisation type: N.a.

Website (not verified): http://www.urenio.org

Total budget: EUR 702 700.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 625 403.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 89.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 77 297.00

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Investment World for Development and Technoloy

Building Smart Green SME Ecosystem: Transforming MED SMEs into active participants of a smart and green ecosystem and enhancing the economic activity of the food industry

Partners and Projects info

University of Carthage

Building Smart Green SME Ecosystem: Transforming MED SMEs into active participants of a smart and green ecosystem and enhancing the economic activity of the food industry

Partners and Projects info

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki - Special Account for Research Funds

Building Smart Green SME Ecosystem: Transforming MED SMEs into active participants of a smart and green ecosystem and enhancing the economic activity of the food industry

Partners and Projects info

RTD TALOS LIMITED

Building Smart Green SME Ecosystem: Transforming MED SMEs into active participants of a smart and green ecosystem and enhancing the economic activity of the food industry

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Building Smart Green SME Ecosystem: Transforming MED SMEs into active participants of a smart and green ecosystem and enhancing the economic activity of the food industry

Project acronym: SmartGreenEcos~A_T_1.2...

Project ID: 00047

Project start date: 2025-07-17

Project end date: 2028-07-16

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

Greek Benchmarking Center. The Centre has been developed under various projects:
-INNOREGIO, EC, Recite II Program 1999-2002
-Innovative Actions, ERDF 2000-2006, for Thessaly, Western Macedonia, Ionian, and Aegean Islands
See: https://rb.gy/txb16q (EN) | The Greek Benchmarking Center is an activity of the URENIO research, which aims at popularizing the method of Benchmarking for companies, organizations, and territories
The Center provides its services to businesses via certified consultants who have access to the online benchmarking applications developed by the Center. The applications relate to all sectors of activity, but also to specific industries, such as Processing, Tourism, Information and Communication Technologies.
The Center also provides benchmarking services to regions, where it monitors their performance in technological innovation and compare to other regions.
Outputs to be exploited in the present proposal include:
(1) Benchmarking software application enabling to compare the performance of companies in various fields, such as innovation, economic activity, productivity, etc.
(2) Training and Certification of Benchmarking Qualified Consultants
(3) Development of specialized modules for specific activities of the companies which have special needs and wish to be compared with other companies in their industry.
(4) Innovation Measurement and performance at the Regional level. (EN), Hotel Energy Solutions.
Developed under the UN Energy Programm.
URENIO developed the software application.
See: https://www.hes-unwto.org/hes_4/microsite/overview.php?LangID=1&UserID= (EN) | The HES e-Toolkit enables Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the accommodation sector to assess their current energy use and carbon footprint against similar enterprises, and provide support in ranking practical and cost-effective energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) investment options.
The toolkit is comprised of an energy benchmarking tool, and a decision support sequence which will provide assistance in evaluating carbon emissions and mitigation techniques through Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy investment options. It also includes information on best practices and capacity building materials and a carbon calculator.
Outputs to be exploited include the Decision Support Tool:
The decision support tool provides support to hoteliers in ranking practical and cost-effective Energy efficiency (EE) and Renewable Energies (RE) investment options. It provides a report generated after completion of the questionnaire which presents the most suitable energy saving technologies in regards to the characteristics of your hotels in a table that classifies them according to whether they require no investments, a small investment, or high investment. The solutions are presented along with best practices on the competitive business advantage of sound energy investments. (EN), New Product Development Network.
Under Interreg IIIC
NPD-NET is a network of European institutions to enhance the capability of European companies in the New Product Development (NPD) process.
See: http://npd-net.urenio.org/index.php?pgid=1&lang=EN (EN) | NPD - NET was an interregional cooperation project aiming to support New Product Development through the establishment of intra- and inter-regional collaboration networks of specialized service providers.
New product development (NPD) is about the renewal of products which because of technological and socio-economic conditions became obsolete and the gain of new markets for existing products. While in many regions technological innovation may reduce employment, mainly because of the introduction of ICT and automation, in the case of product-based innovation, regional wealth increases in parallel with employment. However, it is quite difficult for many EU regions to develop product innovation skills because NPD covers a wide range of expertise from consulting (product conception, market analysis, competition analysis, marketing etc.) to product design and prototyping.
The philosophy of NPD-NET is to address the regional gap in terms of NPD services and practice by developing inter- and intra- regional networks providing relevant services while sustaining the awareness of businesses about confidentiality and IPR.
Outputs to be exploited include:
The New Product Development Roadmap, which covers methods and tools for all stages of NPD, from ideation to commercialisation.
The Roadmap is available at this address: https://www.komninos.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Product_Life_Cycle_Management-A-guide-to-NPD.pdf (EN), ‘’Circular and inclusive utilisation of alternative proteins in the Mediterranean value chains’’ is an ongoing PRIMA funded project. Talos LTD (CY) involvement. (EN) | Talos LTD (CY) is contributing to the project as partner focusing on environmental assessments. Knowledge, methods and stakeholder networks are transferrable and will be used. (EN), ‘’Repenser emploi et insertion sociale des jeunes méditerranéens à travers le développement durable’’ (Rethink employment and social inclusion of youth in the Mediterranean region through sustainable development)is an EC funded project (ENICBCMED). (EN) | Best practices for cross-boarder trainings, engagement of youth, practical tools and methods for practical leaning on entrepreneurial activities in the context of the green and digital transition. (EN), ‘’Lifecyle assessments for new product development- A guide to NPD’’ is a past Interreg funded project carried by URENIO (EL) members. (EN) | Its findings will feed the guidance and assessment tools given to SMEs for the development of greener products and services and overall sustainability of operations (logistics, storage, processing, packaging). (EN), The “Woman Greening Food Systems Award” by EU. (EN) | 2 winners will be approached to participate as speakers in one of the project events and reinforce the connections among EU funded initiatives in the Agri-food sector. This connection aims to inspire also better gender representation in the project by empowering female entrepreneurs and staff of Agri-food companies. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 2 803 600.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 2 495 204.00

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 89.00%

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

Other Synergies of SmartGreenEcos with major strategies, particularly those outlined in the “Overview of main policies, strategies, and initiatives having synergies and complementarities with the Interreg NEXT MED Programme,” include:
Synergies with the EU Digital Strategy: The EU is pursuing a human-centric, sustainable vision for a digital society to empower citizens and businesses. Even small businesses can use digital technology to make better business decisions, interact with customers, or improve business operations. The synergies of our proposal with the EU digital strategy exist on three levels: (a) targets, as the proposal promotes digital skills, digital business, and digital services; (b) multi-country projects that allow the EU MED States and MED countries to pool efforts and launch cross-border initiatives; and (c) the digital transformation of businesses, which is strongly promoted by the services created in our project.
The Smart Specialisation Strategy for EU Regions: In particular, the Thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms and the agri-food platform include partnerships on high-tech farming, traceability, energy, and smart systems. Our project will create four platforms relevant to the food industry that have mutual synergies with the RIS3 thematic platforms.
Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area: Synergies include building research and innovation capacities and developing knowledge and common innovative solutions for agro-food systems to make them more sustainable and improve their management in the Mediterranean area.
Transition Pathway for the EU Agri-food Ecosystem (EC 2024): This informs digital transformation, sustainability, competitiveness, and international cooperation, and supports the objectives of the EU Industrial Strategy. The Transition Pathway described the expected contributions of SMEs to the overall green and digital transformation of the industrial ecosystem in ways similar to our proposal.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 085 - Participations in joint training schemes, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:
RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 081 - Completions of joint training schemes, Measurement unit:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B NEXT Mediterranean Sea Basin (NEXT MED)

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2026-02-27

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

59 / 59 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

384 / 384 (100%)

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Building Smart Green SME Ecosystem: Transforming MED SMEs into active participants of a smart and green ecosystem and enhancing the economic activity of the food industry

Description

Thematic information

Partners (4)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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