New EU project investigates the role and potential of social innovations for EU-Missions

With the five EU missions climate change adaptation, cancer, healthy oceans, climate-neutral cities, and healthy soil, the European Commission introduced new research and innovation policy instruments in 2021 that guide the design of its research framework programmes. Social innovations have played a minor role so far, even though there are local, regional and, in some cases, national examples of social innovations for all Mission Areas. The project Social Innovation Mission Facility, funded under Horizon Europe and coordinated by the Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI), aims to strengthen the potential of social innovation for EU missions by identifying successful social innovations and their impact pathways, training social innovators, and building an investors network and a cross-stakeholder community of practice. In addition to the Social Research Centre, the international, transdisciplinary project team consists of the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT), Social Innovation Exchange (SIX), Portugal Social Innovation and Impact Hub Global, as well as the five local Impact Hubs in Turin, Bucharest, Stockholm, Athens and Ljubljana.

On 3 and 4 July 2025, the project partners met in Vienna for the official launch of the project. In addition to discussions on the design of the work packages, a first brainstorming of examples of social innovations in the five Mission Areas and relevant stakeholders, the project partners also discussed the past developments and current challenges of the EU Missions and the role of social innovations with external experts. Dr Matthias Weber (Austrian Institute for Technology), who has analysed and consulted the development of the EU missions for many years, provided an insight into the status quo at European level. Sascha Ruhland (Austrian Research Promotion Agency) reported on the implementation of the missions in Austria and the work of the Austrian Mission Units, while Leonie Dworsky (ZSI) and Dr Reinhard Millner (Vienna University of Economics and Business) presented possible areas of cooperation with the ESF-funded national competence centres for social innovation.

In the project, the Social Research Centre's project team will focus on developing the conceptual foundations of the project and coordinating the establishment of the community of practice.