Approved projects are expected to start on 1st December 2023 and run for 12 months, except one project having a 6-month duration. In total, 591.038 Eur are allocated to the newly approved projects, thus bringing the total programme budget committment to 34%.

The following projects were approved:

Priority 1 - Innovation capacity

• Nordic Bridge  - Bridging Gaps through Problem-Solution Matchmaking in the Nordic Region
  The main project is dedicated to transforming the NPA region into a dynamic ecosystem of collaboration, innovation, and prosperity. At its core is the digital matchmaking portal, a bridge connecting universities, industries, and society.
  The one-year preparatory project lays the essential groundwork for the main initiative focusing on activities like stakeholder mapping, recommending project ideas, and strategic planning.
  
  Lead Partner: Nord University (NO)
  Partnership: Lapland University of Applied Sciences (FI), Holar University (IS), Bodø Business Forum (NO), NCE Aquaculture (NO), Northeast Iceland Development Fund (IS)
  Total budget: 99.546,00 Eur - Total funding: 57.789,00 Eur - ERDF: 13.975,00 Eur
  
  

• MINDSET - Mission-oriented innovation towards digital and green transitions in the NPA communities
  MINDSET’s overall objective is to jointly develop a main project proposal to apply mission-oriented innovation (MOI) as the way to address major challenges of NPA regions by assessing suitable MOI approaches and enabling conditions, involving the relevant stakeholders from the participant and other NPA regions to define the scenarios to be addressed by the implementation of the concrete missions in the main project.
  
  Lead Partner: European Regions Network for the Application of Communications Technology (IE) Partnership: Umeå University (SE), University of Helsinki (FI)
  Total budget 99.807,50 Eur - Total funding 64.874,87 Eur - ERDF 64.874,8 Eur
  
  
• CASBAT - Cascading use of side streams to produce sustainable battery chemicals
  The objective of this preparatory project is to foster collaboration among research organizations and industries in the NPA region to enhance innovation capacity in the exploration of alternative locally available silicon-containing resources for the battery sector. In this preparatory project, we perform initial screening of potential silicon-containing sources in NPA areas and preliminary evaluation of suitability as a raw material for the manufacturing of batteries.
  
  Lead Partner: Centria University of Applied Sciences Ltd (FI) Partnership: University of Eastern Finland (FI), University of Iceland (IS)
  Total budget 99.996,00 Eur - Total funding 64.997,40 Eur -  ERDF 45.520,15
  
  
• RemoTED - Digital and Technological Social and Healthcare Education in Remote areas - Challenges and Opportunities
  The aim is to build a novel view regarding how technologies can enhance professional delivery and education of social and health care. This project enables us to reach relevant stakeholders using bottom-up and data-driven approaches. Outputs are key insights regarding all the relevant stakeholders, which will be used to identify the teaching strategies and the technologies with the most potential in the NPA.
  
  Lead Partner: Lapland University of Applied Sciences (FI) Partnership: Karelia University of Applied Sciences (FI), Atlantic Technological University (IE)
  Total budget 99.846,77 Eur - Total funding 64.900,39 Eur - ERDF 64.900,39 Eur

• EBoost - Enhancing digital entrepreneurship and business transfer readiness in sparsely populated and peripherical regions
  The goal of this preparatory project is to enhance the vitality of the sparsely populated areas by supporting and developing business transfer and succession planning processes and developing digital entrepreneurial skills. The preparatory project aims to define the baseline of this development work, engage the best potential consortium of organizations to take over the Main Project activities and complete a successful Main Project application.
  
  Lead Partner: Business Joensuu Ltd (FI) Partnership: Munster Technological University (IE)
  Total budget 99.522,70 Eur - Total funding 64.689,75 Eur -  ERDF 64.689,75 Eur

• P.T.G! -  Prepare. To. Gamify! Ecosystem Building
  Whether in education, employee training, or promoting healthy habits, gamification fosters active participation, making tasks more enjoyable and challenging.  P.T.G! aims to evaluate how rural areas in the project countries have tried to create the games industry and gamification ecosystems.
  
  Lead Partner: Savonia University of Applied Sciences (FI) Partnership: Region Västerbotten (SE), Mind Detonator AB (SE), Galway Film Resource CCLG t/a Ardán (IE)
  Total budget 99.967,84 Eur - Total funding 64.979,08  Eur - ERDF 64.979,08 Eur
  
  
• GIFT - Geographical Indication (GI) boosting Food and Tourism sectors in Northern areas
  This preparatory project contributes to the competitiveness and visibility of local food, handicraft and tourism SMEs in NPA area, promotes their co-operation as well as contributes to wider visibility and recognition of the whole NPA geographical area by developing a main project proposal focusing on enhancing the use of EUs GI system and tools associated to it.
  
  Lead Partner: University of Helsinki (FI) Partnership: Icelandic Lamb (IS), Local Enterprise Office, Donegal County Council (IE)
  Total budget 48.992,50 Eur - Total funding 31.845,12  Eur - ERDF 23.400,00 Eur
  
  

Priority 2 - Climate change and resource sufficiency

• BIOPRINT - 3D Printing with Bio-based Materials in a Circular Economy Context
  An aspect of 3D printing is its capacity to fabricate replacement parts, thereby extending the lifespan of products and cultivating a culture of repair and longevity. The project strategy revolves around exploiting the transformative power of 3D printing technology and locally sourced bio-based materials to drive sustainable manufacturing. Ultimately, a main project that integrates 3D printing with locally sourced bio-based materials, creating the potential for a robust circular value chain across NPA countries.
  
  Lead Partner: Centria University of Applied Sciences (FI) Partnership: Munster Technological University (IE)
  Total budget 98.150,00 Eur - Total funding 63.797,50 Eur -  ERDF 63.797,50 Eur