SHINE hosted the kick-off meeting of SIRENE in Coimbra 

SHINE 2Europe is the coordinator of SIRENE | Social Innovation Responsive Environments Network, the new Horizon Europe that aims to support the growth of social innovation ecosystems delivering eco-friendly and sustainable community-based services for SHAFE (Smart Healthy Age-Friendly Environments) implementation in Europe, by providing a workable framework for investment and the broad adoption of high-quality smart living solutions, combining the housing sector and ICT infrastructure. 

For the next 2 years, SIRENE will connect experts and ecosystems in all 27 EU countries, co-create a workable social innovation framework for promoting large scale investment in building, retrofitting and adaptation of the housing market. 

There have been several initiatives aiming to promote innovation and support stakeholders to increase investments in relevant societal areas. However, their impact often runs short in the mid- and long-term. SIRENE identifies as a winning approach to connect stakeholders by having them working together towards a Social Innovation framework and supporting tools, claiming that this joint collaborative and co-creative work will increase awareness on social innovation, create alliances and synergies between stakeholders and ensure that business actors have access to social innovation and entrepreneurial knowledge. 

Through a set of support activities and tools, SIRENE will also develop a sustainability strategy to enable the framework implementation and access to funding, by harnessing the potential of smart technologies to support inclusive, eco-friendly and independent living. 

At this project, SHINE has as partners: 

  • AFEdemy, Academy on Age-Friendly Environments in Europe BV (The Netherlands) 
  • ECHALLIANCE Company Limited by Guarantee (Ireland) 
  • F6S Network Ireland Limited (Ireland) 
  • ISRAA – Istituto per Servizi di Ricovero e Assistenza Agli Anziani (Italy) 
  • Fundacion Tecnalia Research & Innovation (Spain). 

The SIRENE project will leverage on the networks and outcomes of the SHAFE Network and COST Action 19136 NET4Age-Friendly (SHINE and AFEdemy coordination), the ECTP and Homes4Life (Tecnalia), the Thematic Inovation Ecosystem on Housing and Health (ECHA and ISRAA), as well as the F6S business community.