The increasingly sedentary lifestyle among the population is a significant contributor to less fitness and well-being and a variety of diseases such as mental stress, diabetes, heart diseases, Alzheimer's, and cancer cases. While technology has made our lives less active, it can now assist us in becoming more active and fit. To accelerate the introduction of the necessary technological innovations to the market, interregional collaboration is required. The European project I3-INSHAPE promotes such cooperation. Coordinated by Cluster Sports & Technology in (South) Netherlands, SMEs, knowledge institutions and cluster partners from regions from Belgium, Finland, Hungary, and Spain participate in the project. These funds provide a boost to the economy in Brabant and SMEs in the Sports & Vitality domain.

Increasing the Impact of SMEs

With an amount of €9.5 million (70 percent funded by EU-I3), SMEs have the opportunity to expedite the market entry of their innovations through interregional collaboration. Ultimately, this financial boost aims to establish an INSHAPE Innovation & Investment Hub, where companies, knowledge institutions, and government can come together for innovations promoting a healthier and more active lifestyle even after the project concludes. The project has a duration of three years and commenced with a kick-off on September 20, 2023.

Martijn van Gruijthuijsen, Deputy for the province of North Brabant on Economy, Talent Development, and Finance: "When our residents are fit and healthy, it brings benefits not only to individuals but also to our society. In Brabant, we employ smart and innovative solutions to address our challenges. This InShape project boosts SMEs in implementing their innovative ideas for a healthier and more active lifestyle. It's beneficial for both our health and our economy: we all reap the rewards."

René Wijlens, Project Coordinator of I3-INSHAPE on behalf of Cluster Sports & Technology: "With this project, we build upon the Clusters’ innovation strength, which we have developed in recent years. This will assist companies using smart technology to bring innovative products and services to the market, enticing people to lead a healthy and active life at work, in sports, and in public spaces. With INSHAPE, we bridge the regional strengths and ambitions of ours and the other clusters and regions in the EU in the field of Sports & Vitality to form the sustainable EU-INSHAPE Innovation Hub, that will help SMEs in the EU to create successful business form innovations."

Participating partners from the South of the Netherlands region include Cluster Sports & Technology and its cluster partners InnoBeweegLab, imec at Holst Centre as well as one SME, Vinotion. The Province of North Brabant supports the project and its ambitions.

The INSHAPE project strengthens the Workplace Vitality Hub, a collaborative effort involving imec, TNO, Fontys University of Applied Sciences and Eindhoven University of Technology all engaged in vital workplace research. Imec represents these four partners within INSHAPE. Sywert Brongersma, Director Strategic Partnerships at imec the Netherlands: "We are committed to assisting companies in bringing their innovative solutions to market for a healthier and more vital workplace."

I3-INSHAPE is funded by the European Regional and Development Fund (ERDF). With this subsidy, participating parties have the opportunity to assist over 40 SMEs in bringing innovations to the market through interregional collaboration, thereby promoting a more active and healthier society.