Living Labs, the network of innovative open labs
The Mediterranean Centre of Agri-Food Competence (MACC) is the new member of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL), the organisation that supports the concept of living innovation labs across Europe.
The aim of Living Innovation Labs is to create synergies between different entities - University, Business, Enterprise, Public, Private - to co-create, test, evaluate and optimise new technologies, innovative products and services in real-life settings.
It is an ecosystem whose priority is to function as an open innovation production mechanism with a focus on the user-recipient. The success of the method lies in the fact that it integrates research into the real application environment, through interaction with end-users from the early stages of its design.
The ENoLL aims to share knowledge through joint actions and partnerships between its members. The network consists of 480 members both in Europe and worldwide. The dissemination of the concept of living innovation laboratories at global level through the implementation of relevant EU policies is also among the objectives of ENoLL.
Cooperation for Innovation
The network was established in 2006 as a non-profit organisation and since then has supported a number of innovation actions, providing a platform for cooperation between its parties. By providing a range of services and benefits, it contributes to the development and implementation of innovative solutions, involving the end user from the beginning of the development process. This process provides the research team with a series of valuable insights into the identification of needs, preferences and behaviours. This increases the likelihood of creating products and services that directly meet the needs of the real economy and the needs of the end recipients and users.
Moreover, through the ferment between stakeholders, it encourages the addressing of issues from different perspectives, ultimately leading to more effective solutions.
From Research and Development to Knowledge Transfer
Through the research and development processes, the market and needs assessment in relation to the planned innovation is carried out at the same time. The result is savings in time and valuable material and intangible resources. Alongside economies of scale, the method contributes to sustainability as it promotes solutions compatible with the environment, social challenges and sustainability and resilience objectives.
Unlike closed and traditional workshops that carry out research and produce innovation, another advantage of the Network Workshops is the direct transfer and exchange of know-how and good practices between stakeholders, while reinforcing the notion of community, participation and inclusiveness.
The benefit of the Living Innovation Labs is their ability to create a collaborative and dynamic environment that promotes innovative solutions that meet the real needs of end-users and address societal challenges.
As part of its participation in the Living Labs programme, MACC has already developed the innovative MACC-SOIL initiative.