Brussels, 24–25 September 2025
SustainX project was represented at the Annual I3 Instrument Forum 2025, the European Union’s key event for interregional innovation and collaboration. Organised by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA),, the Forum brought together decision makers, regional development agencies, clusters, and innovation actors to exchange experiences and strengthen cooperation in advancing Europe’s green and digital transitions.
Day 1 – Annual I3 Instrument Forum
The opening day began with welcome remarks from Nicola De Michelis (Director, DG REGIO) and Stéphane Ouaki (Acting Director, EISMEA). A high-level plenary session followed, outlining the I3 Instrument’s objectives, early results, and future perspectives.
A key moment for SustainX was the panel “From idea to impact – success stories from I3 projects”. Here, Cristina Baghiu, representing Digital Innovation Zone EDIH and Project Coordinator of SustainX, showcased the project as a strong example of how the I3 Instrument empowers SMEs with targeted training, advisory services, and interregional matchmaking.
She presented SustainX as a strong example of how the I3 Instrument empowers SMEs with targeted training, advisory services, and interregional matchmaking to scale their innovations across borders. The project’s visibility alongside other leading I3 initiatives from Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, and Latvia reinforced its role as a catalyst for innovation-driven growth across less-developed and transition regions.
“SustainX is how we walk SMEs from innovation ideas testing & training the rest of the journey—from digital pilots to bankable ventures and cross-regional growth. We are building a one-stop, local investment support that pairs DMA and tech adoption with market validation, investor engagement, and ESG-aligned growth pathways. It’s smart, simple, and scalable: a model we’re piloting in Romania that any business support organisation , including EDIHs, can embed to keep delivering impact long after programme funding ends. For customers, that means faster routes to finance and markets; for interregional stakeholders, it means a shared, investable pipeline of climate-positive innovations that can travel across Europe. Speaking on behalf of the SustainX project partnership, from idea to impact’ isn’t a slogan for us—it’s our operating system.”
Other panelists included Paola Bello (Clust-ER Health, Italy), Ángel Freire (ACCIO, Spain), Mariyana Hamanova (KLIYNTEH Bulgaria), and Ints Viksna (Latvian Technological Center). Together, they reflected on impact, sustainability, and the importance of comprehensive support throughout the innovation life cycle.
Day 2 – I3 Coordinators’ Day
The second day of the Forum, held at EISMEA headquarters, was dedicated to I3 project coordinators. Sessions encouraged peer exchange, discussion of project synergies, and breakout groups focused on domain-specific challenges and opportunities.
In parallel, I3 Discussion Groups met to explore strategic topics such as innovation ecosystem management, engaging managing authorities in interregional cooperation, and addressing value chain challenges in less developed regions.
Looking Ahead
Across the two days, the Forum highlighted how I3 investments are driving Europe’s twin green and digital transitions by enabling regional actors to scale innovation through collaboration. The participation of initiatives like SustainX demonstrated the concrete impact of the programme in supporting SMEs and shaping Europe’s innovation future. By presenting its approach and early achievements on the European stage, SustainX reinforced its commitment to supporting SMEs in scaling beyond borders and to contributing actively to Europe’s innovation ecosystem.
