Key is to turn data into action!

A report titled How is Västerbotten’s Innovation Ecosystem Doing? provides an in-depth analysis of the region’s innovation landscape, highlighting key strengths, challenges, and opportunities for future development within the ecosystem.

The report also demonstrates how ASTRIC project outputs support the practical application of regional strategies and contribute to evidence-based innovation ecosystem development.

The report applies the METRIC framework to assess Västerbotten’s regional innovation ecosystem across key dimensions such as human capital, entrepreneurial capacity, actors and connections, and market conditions. As such, it directly reflects the co‑created evaluation solutions developed in ASTRIC (Output 1.1) and demonstrates how selected indicators and data sources can be used in real regional contexts.

The insights from the analysis contribute to capacity building and cross‑border cooperation (Output 2.1) by showing how innovation capacity measurement can inform dialogue between public authorities, higher education institutions, and innovation support organisations.

Most importantly, the report serves as an evidence base for regional place‑based strategies and action plans (Output 3.1), supporting policy development, strategic prioritisation, and long‑term uptake of evaluation results. It also illustrates how project results can feed into broader strategic processes beyond the project lifetime.

Together, the report demonstrates how ASTRIC’s outputs move from analysis to action, supporting all three strategy uptake pathways foreseen in the project.

Overall, the report reflects the long-term value of the ASTRIC project by demonstrating how shared learning, collaborative evaluation methods, and evidence-based approaches can strengthen regional innovation ecosystems across Europe. Through cross-border cooperation and stakeholder engagement, the project supports a better understanding of how innovation ecosystems contribute to sustainable economic growth, talent development, and regional resilience.

The knowledge, frameworks, and partnerships developed through ASTRIC provide a strong foundation for continued collaboration and future regional development initiatives beyond the lifetime of the project. By supporting more informed decision-making and long-term strategic planning, the project contributes to the ongoing development of stronger, more connected, and more sustainable regional innovation ecosystems.

Watch the video overview or read the full report to explore the findings and insights.

For a detailed overview, read the full report here.

Or watch it explained on the link here.

This report is a joint learning in the project in partnership with Savonia university of Applied Sciences (Finland) , Western Development Commission (Ireland) , AIM centre (Ireland).