STARRISE Journey Innovation Sprint Workshop

The STARRISE Innovation Sprint represents the final touchdown of the STARRISE project, gathering SMEs and other organisations from project regions and local ecosystems for a dynamic, hands-on matchmaking workshop.

This 3-hour session will combine SME pitching, networking, and collaborative problem-solving to transform business challenges into concrete opportunities for cross-border partnerships in the agrifood and logistics sectors.

The workshop begins with a round of SME pitches, where companies present their ideas, innovations, and challenges. This is followed by an informal speed-dating session to stimulate networking and exchange of ideas. SMEs are then grouped into facilitated “Value Hack” sessions, where they co-develop potential solutions for their common challenges and work on collaboration concepts.

The Sprint concludes with group presentations of results and a collective wrap-up, ensuring that SMEs leave with new insights, contacts, and collaboration pathways. By blending elements of pitching, speed networking, and thematic co-creation, the STARRISE Innovation Sprint provides SMEs with a unique opportunity to transform challenges into interregional alliances.

The “Value Hack” Concept

The Value Hack is the core innovation of the workshop. It is a structured co-creation process where SMEs move from presenting individual challenges to collectively designing solutions in thematic groups.

• Why “hack”? It borrows the hackathon spirit (fast, collaborative, solution-driven) but adapts it for SMEs.
• Why “value”? Because the focus is on generating added value – through cross-border collaboration, supply-chain synergies, and innovation partnerships.
• Outcome: Each group produces a one-page collaboration concept, outlining shared challenges, proposed joint actions, and potential next steps. These can feed into future EU call applications, regional strategies, and cluster initiatives.

The Value Hack ensures that the Sprint is not just about talking, but about producing tangible, documented collaboration outcomes.

STARRISE Partners & Delegations

• Latvia – Ints Viksna, Agnese Kore – Latvian Technological Center (LTC)
• Germany – Manuel Seuffert – KEARNEY | IMP³ROVE
• Portugal – Diana Filipe, Ana Ribeiro – INOVA+
• Romania – Denisa Lazurca, Anca Roman – North-West Regional Development Agency (NW-RDA)
• Martinique (France) – Laury Latchoumanaya, Stéphanie Pujar – CCI Martinique
• Canary Islands (Spain) – Lucía Dobarro – ITC
• Greece – Georgia Lalou – Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (iED)
• Brussels – Maja Ferlinc – EISMEA

Participating SMEs

🇷🇴 Romania

• B&G Family Innovation SRL (RongoDesign) – rongodesign.com
• Bihor Science & Technology Park – oradeasteampark.com

🇵🇹 Portugal

• INOVCLUSTER – inovcluster.pt
• Limousine Cattle Breeders Association & Castelo Branco Polytechnic Institute – limousineportugal.com

🇪🇸 Spain (Canary Islands)

• Microgreen Spirulina Innovation – microgreenspirulina.com
• EffiWaste – effiwaste.com
• ICIA Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias – icia.es

🇫🇷 France (Martinique)

• BEEPWAY – LinkedIn profile

🇱🇻 Latvia

• Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) – liaa.gov.lv
• Safira L – sainvie.com
• Spora LAB – spora.lv
• Cattle Beef Breeders Society / Latvian Beef Cattle Breeders Association / Farmers Parliament – glab.lv, lgla.lv, zemniekusaeima.lv

🇬🇷 Greece

Local SMEs and clusters from the Region of Thessaly (agrifood and logistics sectors)

Agenda – STARRISE Innovation Sprint: Building Cross-Border Value Chains

10:00 – 10:30 | SME Pitches: Ideas, Innovations & Needs

Invited SMEs from STARRISE regions and local SMEs share short presentations (3–4 min each).

Presentations cover:

• Their innovation or product idea
• Main business challenge or need
• Collaboration opportunities they are seeking

This segment provides a landscape of challenges and opportunities in agrifood and logistics.

10:30 – 10:40 | Coffee Break

10:40 – 11:10 | Speed Dating & Networking with Coffee

SMEs rotate in short “matchmaking conversations” to exchange insights and explore synergies.

11:10 – 12:10 | Thematic Challenge Discussions (Value Hack)

SMEs are invited to join discussion groups based on the challenges they have identified in their pitch.

In each group, SMEs collectively explore solutions, partnership opportunities, and possible cross-border collaborations.

Facilitators guide the conversations and capture outcomes using a one-page collaboration canvas.

12:10 – 12:20 | Short Break

12:20 – 13:00 | Presentation of Results & Wrap-Up

Each discussion group presents its outcomes (key challenges addressed, proposed solutions, possible partnerships).

Consortium and participants provide quick feedback.

Closing remarks and guidance on next steps (EEN, RIS3 platforms, EU calls).

👉 Participation is free, but registration is required.
Please complete your registration to secure your place at the STARRISE Journey Innovation Sprint Workshop.