2025 was a landmark year for ERINN Innovation — marked by major project milestones, new collaborations, and a growing role in shaping impactful European research and innovation. Across the blogs published on our website throughout the year, a clear story emerges: one of progress, partnership and purpose.
Celebrating Projects That Reached Completion
Several flagship Horizon Europe projects concluded successfully in 2025, each leaving a strong legacy of results, tools and networks.
- EmpowerUs closed after three years of close collaboration with coastal communities across Europe, delivering Transition Coastal Labs, policy insights, inclusive methodologies and Ocean Literacy resources that will continue to inform EU marine policy and local action.
- SCORE reached its conclusion with a strong focus on citizen science and coastal resilience, demonstrating how community-led monitoring and engagement can support climate adaptation and environmental stewardship.
- AQUAEXCEL concluded 14 years of continuous collaboration, scientific progress, and shared ambition within the aquaculture community.
- PREP4BLUE also came to a close having supported the R&I goals of ‘Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’.
These projects exemplified the value of long-term collaboration, co-creation and impact-driven research — themes that ran throughout our 2025 content.
Guiding the Next Generation of EU Projects
Alongside project conclusions, 2025 saw the launch and early-stage development of several ambitious new Horizon Europe initiatives, each tackling critical environmental and societal challenges:
- OptiForValue – optimising forest-based value chains for high-value applications and enhancing forest management
- SafeNet – working with local communities to develop solutions that balance conservation with the use of natural resources
- XTREAM – unlocking the potential of nature’s most tenacious organisms
- GUARDIAS – improving prevention and management of invasive alien species
- Trees4Adapt – supporting the design and implementation of tree-based solutions across Europe
Our blogs captured the excitement and ambition of these early project phases, highlighting the importance of strong foundations, aligned partnerships and clear impact pathways from the outset.
A Year of Events, Exchange and Visibility
2025 was also a busy year for our teams supporting events and knowledge transfer, with ERINN Innovation actively contributing to major local, European and international forums. These blogs reflected our role as a connector between research, policy and practice, including:
- INORMS 2025 – engaging with the global research management community
- European Maritime Day (EMD) – contributing to conversations shaping Europe’s blue future
- Co-creation and stakeholder workshops across multiple projects
- Aquaculture Europe 2025 – strengthening connections across the aquaculture sector
- Climate Carnival – celebrating creativity, community and climate action
- CAP Network Ireland – transferring innovative agricultural knowledge
These moments of exchange reinforced the importance of dialogue, collaboration and shared learning in delivering impactful research outcomes.
Building Capacity Through Training and Knowledge Sharing
Beyond projects and events, 2025 marked a significant step forward in how ERINN Innovation supports the research community more broadly.
We launched our Online Proposal Writing Bootcamp, designed to help researchers and institutions strengthen their Horizon Europe proposals with practical, expert-led guidance. This was complemented by the publication of two dedicated proposal tips blogs, sharing actionable insights on developing strong concepts, structuring proposals and maximising impact:
- Top 5 Tips for Writing a Winning Horizon Europe Bid
- Plan Early, Win Big: Horizon Europe Proposals 2025
Together with our in-person training and support, these initiatives reflect our commitment to capacity building and empowering researchers to succeed in highly competitive funding environments.
Looking Ahead
Taken together, the blogs published in 2025 tell a story of transition and momentum — projects concluding with strong legacies, new initiatives taking shape, and an organisation continuing to grow in experience, expertise and reach.
As Europe’s research and innovation landscape evolves, ERINN Innovation remains focused on supporting ambitious ideas, meaningful collaboration and outcomes that matter — for communities, ecosystems and policy alike.
Let’s Work Together
If you’re preparing a Horizon Europe proposal, coordinating an EU-funded project, or seeking a trusted partner to strengthen impact, engagement and knowledge transfer — we’d love to hear from you.
Contact ERINN Innovation to explore how we can support your next project and help turn research into lasting impact.
