IMPACTWHEEL Project

Project Overview

IMPACTWHEEL is a pan-European initiative to strengthen higher education institutions' capacity to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and the commercialization of research. The project specifically targets the deep tech sector — advanced technology fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other science-driven innovations — with the goal of transforming cutting-edge academic research into impactful, market-ready solutions that address pressing global and societal challenges.

IMPACTWHEEL seeks to build sustainable innovation partnerships that drive economic growth and social progress across Europe by enhancing knowledge exchange and collaboration between academia, industry, and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Objectives

• Enhance Innovation Capacities: Build skills and infrastructure in universities to support innovation and entrepreneurial activities.

• Facilitate Knowledge Transfer: Bridge the gap between research and market application, ensuring practical impact from academic discoveries.

• Promote Deep Tech Development: Support the advancement and commercialization of breakthrough deep tech innovations.

• Develop Collaborative Partnerships: Establish long-lasting networks among universities, startups, businesses, and other stakeholders to sustain innovation ecosystems.

Activities

• Organizing workshops, seminars, and training programmes designed to develop entrepreneurial skills and innovation management capabilities among students, faculty, and researchers.

• Facilitating collaborative research projects that bring together academia and industry to co-develop solutions with commercial potential.

• Hosting networking events to foster connections between higher education institutions, startups, investors, and policymakers.

• Providing mentorship and business development support to startups and spin-offs emerging from academic research, with a focus on overcoming market entry barriers for deep tech ventures.

Expected Outcomes

• A strengthened European innovation ecosystem characterized by increased cooperation across disciplines and sectors.

• Creation and growth of innovative deep tech startups, contributing to economic development and job creation.

• Enhanced capacity of universities to translate scientific research into commercially viable products and services.

• Sustainable partnerships that continue fostering innovation beyond the project lifecycle.

Project Partners

The IMPACTWHEEL project brings together a diverse consortium of institutions and organizations from across Europe. Besides SSE Riga, project partners include universities: Universidade da Beira Interior with UBImedical Incubator, Universidad Pública de Navarra, University of St. Andrews American Foundation, Inc., University “Goce Delcev” at Štip, and Unimercatorum. Additionally, two intermediary organizations, NOVA FORUM and CEIPIEMONTE s.c.p.a., contribute their expertise. The project also benefits from the involvement of two companies with strong backgrounds in innovation and entrepreneurship: ambiom and INOVA+ .

SSE Riga’s Contribution

SSE Riga plays a pivotal role in IMPACTWHEEL as the lead partner of Work Package 4, focusing on building effective partnerships for deep tech innovation. Drawing on its expertise in entrepreneurship education, innovation management, and knowledge transfer, SSE Riga leads efforts to identify and overcome knowledge boundaries between academic researchers, entrepreneurs, and the market.

The institution supports the development of practical tools, strategies, and networks that facilitate the successful commercialization of deep tech research outputs. SSE Riga also contributes by organizing innovation-driven events and training that empower students, researchers, and local entrepreneurs to bring new technologies and ideas to market.

This involvement aligns closely with SSE Riga’s broader mission to foster entrepreneurial mindsets and equip the next generation of leaders with the capabilities to contribute to innovation ecosystems both regionally and globally. Through IMPACTWHEEL, SSE Riga strengthens its role as a driver of innovation and a connector between academia and industry in the Baltic region and beyond.

Project Period

2024–2026 (with potential extension)