Methodology for Transformative co-creation innovation labs (TRAIN labs)
The sustainable Blue Economy sector is facing many challenges in the Mediterranean. This document, developped by the Blue Ecosystem project, outlines a comprehensive methodology for establishing Transformative Co-Creation Innovation Labs (TRAIN Labs) and details a structured process for stakeholder engagement, mission alignment, and solution acceleration. It builds meaningfully on existing frameworks (e.g., RIS3, Mission Restore Our Ocean) and includes a rich glossary and a participatory, design-based approach.
Project:
BLUE ECOSYSTEM
Mission
Strengthening an innovative sustainable economy
Programme keywords:
Community engagement, Ecosystem approach, Industrial transition, Policy engagement, Socio economic nature
KEEP keywords:
Clustering and economic, Innovation capacity, Institutional cooperation, Knowledge and technology, Sme and entrepreneurship
Partners:
ART-ER Attrattivita Ricerca Territorio with the contributions of all project partners
Issues addressed
The Mediterranean Blue Economy suffers from fragmented governance, limited stakeholder engagement in innovation, and uneven policy alignment. The TRAIN Labs aim to tackle these challenges through regional innovation ecosystems that foster co-creation, challenge-led missions, and transnational acceleration to achieve sustainable economic and environmental impact
Added value of the document
The TRAIN Lab methodology is highly adaptable to other regions if supported by strong local facilitation, stakeholder mapping, and political will, and once the challenges and territorial basis are identified. Implementation requires capacity-building in co-design methods, alignment with S3 strategies, and access to technical support for running the acceleration phase and managing multi-stakeholder collaboration.
Transferability potential
This methodology consolidates lessons from past projects (BLUEMED, B-Blue, etc.) while introducing practical co-design tools and a mission-based model tailored to Mediterranean regions. The novelty lies in its combination of territorial specificity, policy alignment, and a structured call-for-solutions framework grounded in the Quintuple Helix model. The methodology has been designed in a collaborative approach but is tested at territorial level and in different pilot sites.
Contribution to SDGs
Sdg14, Sdg8, Sdg17, Sdg13, Sdg9
Contribution to the Programme / EU policies
UfMGreenerMedAgenda, EuInnovationAgenda, BlueEconomy, BarcelonaConvention, EuCircularEconomy, EuSouthernPartnership, MarineStrategy