Today, January 18, 2017, the first Innovation Club in the field of technologies for water management and resources, environmental protection, in the context of the Accelerator for innovative solutions, within the NEPTUNE project, took place at the headquarters of ADR Nord-Vest.

Through a virtual online communication platform, participants from 6 countries interacted to identify and debate project ideas to be developed through through the Scheme of vouchers and support services for innovation and entrepreneurship, dedicated to SMEs and potential entrepreneurs from the NEPTUNE partner regions.

From the North-West Region, the only eligible region in Romania, companies from Baia Mare, Bistrita and Cluj-Napoca were represented, with expertise in the field of wastewater, treatment plant technologies, water quality management and water resource pollution. At the Consortium level, more than 100 project ideas were generated within the Innovation Club and the foundations of inter-sectoral, inter-cluster and inter-regional partnerships were laid, which will be able to be further developed.

The NEPTUNE project, financed by the Horizon 2020 research-development-innovation program of the European Commission, has a budget of 4.1 million euros at the level of the 11 partners, of which 75% is dedicated to the direct support of SMEs through the voucher scheme and through support services provided by partners. The budget allocated for the North-West Region is 270,000 euros. Details about the financing scheme and eligible applicants can be found on the NEPTUNE project website: http://www.neptune-project.eu/Neptune-Accelerator/Call-for-Interest-SMEs-and-would-be-entrepreneurs