RESIST Closing Seminar and Reception in Brussels: Building Regional Capacity for Social Innovation

How can regions create the conditions for social innovation to take root, grow and deliver lasting impact?

Join the closing seminar of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project RESIST for a practical and forward-looking exchange on how regional innovation ecosystems, social innovation clusters and smart specialisation can help turn local ideas into stronger, more connected and more sustainable solutions to current challenges.

Designed for representatives of European regions and social innovation stakeholders this afternoon seminar will bring together regional experiences, policy perspectives and opportunities to connect with peers from across Europe.

What you will take away

• Insights on how regional social innovation clusters strengthen ecosystems, connect actors and scale promising solutions

• Practical lessons from RESIST regions and across Europe on collaboration, ecosystem development and enabling social innovation

• A better understanding of how smart specialisation can support social innovation and more inclusive, resilient communities

• Perspectives on the future role of social innovation in EU regional policy and stronger cooperation across levels

• New contacts, potential partners and opportunities for collaboration.

The seminar will take place back-to-back with the European Social Innovation Forum 2026, held in Brussels on 7–8 October 2026. Together, the two events offer a valuable opportunity to explore social innovation from complementary perspectives — from strengthening regional ecosystems and policy frameworks to scaling impact, building evidence and inspiring collective action.