Insights from the RESIST regions: Model for a Cluster of Social and Ecological Innovation

Piloting summary of the CSEI Model

The following summaries present selected insights from the regional piloting activities carried out within the RESIST project, combining the application of the Cluster of Social and Ecological Innovation (CSEI) guide and the Mission-Oriented Innovation Policy (MOIP) guide. Both guides are complementary: while the CSEI Guide provides a structural framework for building and strengthening cross-sectoral social innovation ecosystems, the MOIP Guide offers a process-oriented approach for designing and implementing mission-driven, participatory policy interventions.

Across the partner regions, these tools were tested in real policy and ecosystem contexts, including cluster development processes, stakeholder mobilisation, strategy labs, and mission design activities. The piloting status reports summarised below highlight how regions adapted the CSEI and MOIP approaches to their specific territorial conditions, governance structures, and strategic priorities. Together, the summaries illustrate how ecosystem-building (CSEI) and mission-oriented policy design (MOIP) can be jointly applied to support social innovation, foster collaboration across sectors, and embed social innovation more systematically in regional development and innovation policies.

Agder County Council, Norway

The project partner Agder County Council piloted the mission design (MOIP) guide as part of the “Our Agder” policy process to strengthen cross-sector stakeholder engagement and support co-creation in regional policy development. The guide was contextualised to Agder’s specific needs and applied in Strategy Labs and internal working sessions linked to the development of the regional Action Plan for Living Conditions. Insights from stakeholder workshops and expert input were systematically analysed and integrated into the ongoing policy process, supported by peer exchange with other RESIST regions, including Kurzeme. Through this iterative approach, Agder demonstrated how the MOIP guide can be effectively embedded in real-world policy-making and adapted as a practical tool for future co-creation processes beyond the project.

Hamburg, Germany

The project partners BWAI Hamburg and Zukunft Zwei Berlin organized regular meetings with the Hamburg Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship to discuss and coordinate the necessary support. The RESIST team in Hamburg supported the Alliance with operational research on impact partnership, financing opportunities and membership models in other clusters.

The project partner’s collaboration with the Hamburg Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship resulted in the alliance’s request for funding by the Hamburg state being considered and financial support granted until 2030 which gives planning stability and a long-term perspective to develop the Alliance and the social innovation and social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Hamburg.

During meetings with the Alliance, the project partner discussed pilot activities for CSEI and the Alliance was as well involved as experts in piloting activities of the train-the-trainer modules. Meetings were also organized with other clusters to exchange experiences: Silicon Vilstal (Germany), Torino Social Impact (Italy), ADV Romania, and IDIA Barcelona.

Using information from these clusters, Zukunft Zwei developed CSEI archetypes to incorporate into the radar diagram. Under the topic of finance, Zukunft Zwei conducted research on EU financing options: the Social Economy Action Plan, the Financing Toolkit, and Cluster Financing. This data was shared with the Alliance. The project partner was actively involved in revising the CSEI model and piloting the MOIP guide. To this end, they collaborated with external experts, including those from the European Cluster Collaboration Platform, Fraunhofer Institute and Bertelsmann Foundation, and organized seminars and workshops to present the RESIST MOIP approach and discuss it with interested stakeholders in Hamburg.

Pomorskie Voivodship, Poland

In 2025, the Pomeranian Voivodeship held meetings with entities aimed at defining a cluster of social and economic innovations in the region. The workshop was held on 24-25 April, May 27, June 12, September 9, October 6 2025 in Gdańsk. As part of the events, among other things, the current situation of PES in Pomerania was analyzed, the definition of the Cluster was developed, current trends in the sector were defined, guidelines for the cluster’s operation were specified, and the areas of its activity were identified, using the CSEI Guide as a key reference framework. The workshop participants shared a number of opinions on the current situation of social economy entities. The participants recognized that despite various problems, the social economy in the Pomeranian Voivodeship has potential. They noted the need for consolidation of the sector, better communication, joint marketing activities and the creation of a more coherent and supportive ecosystem. The barriers faced by representatives of organizations and institutions dealing with the social economy were discussed. Various aspects of the functioning of the cluster, its vision and goals and values were indicated. Guidelines for the functioning of the cluster, barriers and risks and key areas of interest of the cluster were defined. Membership rules, the procedure for accepting new members, and the criteria that applicants must meet were discussed in detail. Finding the Cluster’s legal form allowed for the creation of a comprehensive framework for its operation. Participants completed the process of developing the cluster’s objectives and discussed the proposed service portfolio. A cluster model was developed and consulted with a group of experts. A comprehensive document, the Pomeranian Social Economy Cluster Model, has been created.

The Pomeranian Voivodeship also led the process of preparing a strategic document aimed at developing social and health services in the region, using the MOIP Guide. Five meetings were held with stakeholders to determine the priority directions of intervention. At the beginning, a diagnosis of the system was prepared and challenges were defined. Experts from various fields participated in this, which allows for a look from different perspectives. The document was submitted for public consultation and approved by the Pomeranian Voivodeship Board.

Kurzeme, Latvia

In Kurzeme, the project partner piloted the development of a CSEI through an intensive, stakeholder-driven process focused on testing and refining cooperation structures within the regional social innovation and social entrepreneurship ecosystem. Building on initial exchanges with the Latvian Social Entrepreneurship Association and representatives from all five Latvian planning regions, the partner facilitated dialogue on regional approaches to ecosystem development, using these insights to inform CSEI scenarios and strategic choices. A first joint stakeholder meeting brought together municipalities, NGOs, businesses, academia, and national-level actors, followed by targeted bilateral consultations to assess readiness for engagement, identify synergies and barriers, and clarify the added value of the cluster initiative. In close cooperation with the Social Innovation Competence Centre, the piloting phase focused on governance, collaboration mechanisms, and service delivery models, leading to the co-design of a CSEI action plan structure. Cross-sector seminars and workshops further explored CSEI as an open cooperation platform, while acknowledging differing visions among stakeholders and adapting the process toward more focused working formats. Strategic discussions helped define shared priorities such as sustainable entrepreneurship, municipal leadership, green and digital solutions, and circular economy practices. Through continuous coordination, communication, and trust-building, the activities laid a solid foundation for a coherent, long-term CSEI model tailored to the Kurzeme region and aligned with the broader RESIST framework.

Västerbotten, Sweden

In 2025, Region Västerbotten laid the foundation for a regional cluster that opens the traditional innovation systems to social innovation. The work began in Umeå and Skellefteå, where key actors gathered to discuss how social and ecological innovation can contribute to sustainable, inclusive and co‑creative development in northern Sweden. The Unit for Innovation Management and Digitization sees great opportunities to incorporate social innovation into the region’s long‑term strategy for regional development.

What started as four or five engaged actors has grown quickly. During the year, the municipalities of Umeå and Skellefteå, Umeå University, Luleå University of Technology and the coordinating organisation for civil society, Samforma, joined. By the end of 2025, the network consists of 15–20 organisations which together are shaping what will become Västerbotten’s CSEI cluster (Cluster for Social and Ecological Innovation). The work is still carried out without a formal organisation, the strength lies in the fact that it is an open network where different sectors meet and co‑create.

The prototype mission is that social innovation should become a natural part of the region’s innovation system, and that collaborations around regional challenges should be built on the logic of social innovation. Västerbotten hopes to inspire other regions to follow and develop their own models to make social innovation a driver for sustainable regional development.

Võru, Estonia

The project partner began its initial planning activities with preparatory, planning, and mapping project meetings with specific stakeholders (from various sectors). The goal was to map the region’s needs, pressing issues, and specific areas where collaboration within the cluster impacts the region. As a result of these meetings, the focus was on addressing the emigration of working-age people and youth, the level of advancement (especially in IT), and the shortage of highly skilled labor.

The first SI/SE cluster was established around the threat of coding schools in Kood/Võru. The idea is to generate and strengthen social innovation and social entrepreneurship using the resources of coding schools (students, communities) by combining collaboration with interests from various sectors (NGOs, local public authorities, businesses, etc.).

Workshops were held for entities involved in building the cluster, during which they discussed finances, school management, communication and marketing, and cooperation with businesses, local governments, and vocational schools. The first cluster meeting took place in December 2024. Representatives from the education sector (local secondary, vocational, and hobby schools), the Innovation Center of Southeast Estonia, the Youth Innovation Center, and others participated. Profiles of potential students of the Kood/Võru Programming School were created and ways each organization could support these profiles were mapped. The cluster’s function and goals were then discussed, along with how it fits into and supports the school while also influencing the local community. The second meeting was attended by the same stakeholders who participated in the first session. The main methodology used during the workshop was the Systematic Mapping Tool, described in the MOIP Guide. As a result of the session, the cluster successfully identified its main challenge: how to integrate Kood/Võru’s activities and students into the local community to generate positive economic and educational impact.

Regular online meetings of the Kood/Võru leadership team took place once a month. The process of building the CSEI cluster is ongoing.

Key learnings from the regional piloting activities

• Embedding social innovation tools in real policy and strategy processes increases relevance, commitment, and long-term impact.
• Early, continuous, and cross-sector stakeholder engagement is essential for trust-building, but requires time, facilitation, and clear communication.
• The CSEI Guide works best as a structuring tool to discuss governance, membership, services, financing, and roles within emerging ecosystems.
• The MOIP Guide is most effective for framing shared challenges, defining missions, and organising collaboration around complex societal issues.
• Both guides need to be adapted to local contexts rather than applied as fixed models.
• Starting with concrete pilots or use cases helps stakeholders understand the value of social innovation and reduces resistance.
• Differing stakeholder visions are common and should be treated as part of the learning process, requiring iterative and flexible working formats.
• Informal networks provide momentum in early phases, while gradual structuring supports sustainability and scaling.
• Peer exchange between regions strengthens learning, confidence, and practical application of the models.

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