GSS participated in the EAIC Annual General Meeting on June 9th, 2026, held at The Westin Zagreb, bringing together innovation consultants, policy representatives, industry stakeholders and members of the European research and innovation ecosystem.
The event provided an important platform for discussing the role of widening participation, competitive EU funding and the need to strengthen innovation capacity across Croatia and the wider European landscape. The first panel, focused on widening and the Croatian innovation ecosystem, highlighted several structural challenges that remain highly relevant for organisations preparing EU-funded projects.
Key messages from the discussion included the need to provide stronger opportunities for organisations and regions that have not yet fully achieved excellence, the limited level of innovation activity and international investment in Croatia, and the highly competitive nature of EU grant applications. The discussion also underlined that only a small share of EU funding is currently directed toward widening activities, although these measures are essential for building a more balanced and inclusive European innovation ecosystem.
A particularly important point was the lack of a more coordinated Croatian national approach to competitive EU-funded applications. While structural funds often have significantly higher success rates, programmes such as Horizon Europe remain much more demanding, requiring mature project concepts, strong international consortia, clear impact logic and precise alignment with call requirements. Stronger involvement of ministries, public institutions and national stakeholders will be essential for raising awareness, building capacity and increasing Croatia’s participation in competitive European programmes.
GSS is ready to contribute to this process by supporting Croatian and European organisations in developing stronger EU-funded project applications. Competitive EU funding is no longer only about having a good idea. It requires strategic positioning, consortium building, technical and financial maturity, impact-oriented work planning and clear alignment with European policy priorities. Through its project development expertise, GSS aims to help increase the quality of applications and contribute to higher success rates for EU-funded projects.
Events such as the EAIC Annual General Meeting are highly relevant for Croatia, as they connect local stakeholders with the wider European innovation ecosystem and create new opportunities for cooperation, capacity building and future project development.