HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-COMMUNITIES-01 Looking for consortium – Expertise in rural innovation and sustainability assessment

BETA Technological Center (https://betatechcenter.com/) is seeking to join a consortium preparing a proposal for HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-COMMUNITIES-01: Boosting sustainable competitiveness in rural areas through innovation. BETA offers a comprehensive approach that combines sustainability assessment, territorial analysis and governance expertise, providing support for inclusive, place-based rural innovation strategies. The Sustainability Accounting & Optimisation Unit provides advanced methodologies for assessing the economic, environmental and social performance of rural value chains, business models and innovation initiatives. These methodologies include multi-criteria analysis, sustainability indicators and system-level assessments, which are used to identify trade-offs, co-benefits and leverage points for enhancing rural competitiveness while safeguarding environmental resources and social well-being. The Governance for Sustainability Unit complements this by providing expertise in participatory approaches, stakeholder engagement and multi-level governance. It supports the co-design and implementation of innovation pathways tailored to rural contexts. The unit operates at the intersection of local stakeholders, policy frameworks and innovation systems, ensuring alignment between grassroots initiatives and regional, national and EU strategies. Together, BETA supports the development of innovation pathways that strengthen rural economies, foster social cohesion, and enhance long-term resilience. Its integrated approach ensures that technological and social innovations are grounded in territorial realities, socially accepted and supported by appropriate governance and policy mechanisms. BETA can contribute to analytical tasks, stakeholder engagement processes, the evaluation of innovation impacts, and the co-creation of scalable solutions for diverse rural areas across Europe. Projects related to this area of expertise include: Gov4GreenMed, DESTIMED+, PROXTERRA, and SPARKLE. For more detailed information, take a look at the following webpage: Sustainability Accounting & Optimisation Unit and Governance for Sustainability.