S3

S3 objectives and principles

The S3  - Smart Specialization Strategy - aims to transform Wallonia's economic assets and skills into drivers of sustainable development. It is based on an in-depth analysis of regional strengths and weaknesses, enabling us to define strategic priorities where innovation can make a real difference. The central idea is to concentrate efforts on a limited number of priority innovation areas, to foster a specialization that strengthens regional competitiveness on the European and world stage.

The five Strategic Innovation Domains (SIDs)

S3 in Wallonia is structured around five Strategic Innovation Domains (SIDs), each representing a sector where the region has identified significant potential for innovation and economic development:

1- Circular materials

The "Circular Materials" Strategic Innovation Domain covers innovative activities linked to the "circularization" of materials, with a view to reducing resource consumption, increasing regional self-sufficiency and developing new market opportunities. Circular materials are inert or biosourced materials that can be processed at different stages, so that their future status as waste can be postponed or avoided altogether.

To achieve this, the economic activities whose innovation needs to be supported are eco-design, industrial symbiosis, stimulating the economy of reuse and repair of these materials, and innovation in the recycling sector. These activities are underpinned by the region's strong technological expertise in advanced materials processing (metals) and the presence of valuable natural resources. Wallonia's recycling expertise is also widely recognized, ranking the region among the best in Europe.

An innovative approach to logistics, particularly through reverse logistics and the physical Internet, is a lever for cross-functional support for all these activities.

2- Innovations for enhanced health

The aim of this SID is to contribute, through innovation, to a move towards a healthcare system that is both cutting-edge and inclusive, implemented through innovations based on technology interacting with people.

The Strategic Innovation Domain "Innovations for enhanced health" covers an ambitious and coherent set of innovative activities of a technological, organizational and social nature to ensure the transformation of the healthcare system in the broadest sense, in its preventive, diagnostic and curative missions. These innovations will contribute both to consolidating Wallonia's distinctive strengths as an international leader in biotherapy and medical technologies, and to meeting the challenge of preserving health capital for all citizens, a challenge reinforced by the Covid-19 crisis.

Advanced developments in biotechnology, in particular vaccines, and medical technologies are not only part of the answer to the challenge of a more efficient healthcare system, but also represent economic opportunities for Walloon companies active in these diversified sectors. The development of new products and solutions for growth markets such as home healthcare, e-Health (electronic health) and m-Health (mobile health), the Silver economy and preventive healthcare is expected to have a major economic impact. These are all areas that require both technological and social innovation.

3- Innovations for agile, safe design and production methods

The reindustrialization of the economy and the modernization of industry in the broadest sense have been major priorities for European and Walloon regional governments in recent years.

The Strategic Innovation Domain "Innovations for agile and safe design and production" covers all innovative activities related to Industry 4.0 and advanced manufacturing processes, the development of digital technologies to modernize production tools, the development and integration of advanced or composite materials, and additive technologies. It covers the entire manufacturing industry, logistics, commercial services and agricultural production. It is based on Wallonia's distinctive skills in fields such as advanced manufacturing (including additive manufacturing) and advanced materials, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, as well as design and simulation tools for the design of new inserts, engines and structural parts.

4- Sustainable energy systems and housing

This SID includes new solutions for the green energy transition and the habitat of the future.

The challenge for public policy is to put in place the conditions to guarantee the region's supply of secure, sustainable and affordable energy, and to encourage the exploitation of opportunities while minimizing the costs of the transition.

This SID will draw primarily on Wallonia's distinct strengths and innovative activities in engineering, design and simulation of more energy-efficient systems and components, energy storage and integrated management of energy production and consumption flows within integrated industrial production, buildings and communities ('smart grids'), integrated management of traffic flows and networks, innovative solutions for improving the energy efficiency of buildings, more specifically new insulating materials and/or energy sensors, digital solutions for securing, modeling, simulating and monitoring the energy consumption and performance of buildings, and expertise in biomass recovery.

This SID will draw on a growing ecosystem in the heart of Wallonia, based on the presence of natural resources and a major primary resource processing sector, as well as strong industrial players in the fields of renewable energies, green chemistry, logistics and eco-sustainable construction. It will also benefit from the contribution of major industrial players in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, space and aeronautics.

5- Agri-food chains of the future and innovative environmental management

The Strategic Innovation Domain "Agri-food chains of the future and innovative environmental management" covers innovative activities to support the emergence of products and services with high added value and market potential within a sustainable and circular agri-food system. Wallonia's current strengths in agri-food research and innovation are focused on : food quality and safety; sustainable and circular agri-food systems; nutritional and functional ingredients; and industrial biotechnologies (white biotechnologies).

To ensure the long-term sustainability of the natural ecosystems (soil health and water cycle) on which the production of healthy food products depends, Wallonia's potential in the field of environmental services for monitoring ecosystems and biodiversity, agroecology and sustainable agricultural/forestry innovation will be strengthened. Wallonia also has strong RDI skills in biodiversity and green/blue infrastructure, notably in the fields of natural resource management, technologies for environmental remediation (soil, air and water) and, in particular, soil monitoring, treatment and health (brownfields, soil conservation).

In short, Wallonia's Smart Specialization Strategy (S3) is an ambitious roadmap for stimulating innovation, transforming the regional economy, and strengthening the region's competitiveness on the international stage. By focusing on strategic areas and deploying concrete initiatives, Wallonia is striving to create a dynamic ecosystem where innovation becomes a driver of sustainable and inclusive growth.