On 28 May 2025, Warsaw became the epicentre of public sector innovation with the Innovation Procurement Forum. Hosted by Poland’s National Centre for Research and Development, the event gathered public officials, researchers, European Commission representatives, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Together, they explored how innovative procurement mechanisms—particularly Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) and Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI)—can transform public services and accelerate Europe’s twin green and digital transitions.
Organised under the patronage of the European Commission, the forum offered a unique opportunity for dialogue between national and EU-level stakeholders. Moreover, the forum showcased cutting-edge initiatives that are shaping the future of public procurement.
INPROCAP: Elevating Procurement as a Tool for Innovation
As one of the highlighted EU-funded initiatives, the INPROCAP project took centre stage for its strategic approach to building procurement capacities within Big Science organisations and research institutions.
Through active promotion at the event, INPROCAP spotlighted its mission to support Industrial Liaison Officers (ILOs) and public buyers in adopting forward-thinking procurement practices that move beyond traditional compliance-based approaches. The project underlines how strategic procurement can serve as a catalyst for innovation, particularly when aligned with cross-border collaboration and technological advancement.
Why INPROCAP Resonated with the Forum’s Mission
The forum’s emphasis on capability building, cross-sector cooperation, and transformational procurement directly aligns with INPROCAP’s objectives:
• Strengthening public sector capacity to apply PCP/PPI mechanisms in complex R&D environments
• Facilitating small and medium-sized enterprises access to procurement in the Big Science sector
• Promoting knowledge exchange and strategic procurement literacy across Europe
At the event, INPROCAP representatives engaged with public officials and procurement practitioners, sharing practical tools, case-based insights, and examples of how innovation procurement can enhance the value of public investment.
Discussions at the INPROCAP stand and during networking sessions focused on:
• Bridging the gap between research excellence and market uptake
• Reducing fragmentation in procurement approaches across institutions
• Embedding innovation procurement into national and EU-level policy frameworks
A Strategic Gathering for European Innovation Leaders
With participation from experts like Lieve Bos (European Commission), Bartosz Dziadecki (NCBR), and Stephan Corvers (Corvers consultancy), the forum showcased a wide range of perspectives—from policy to implementation.
Topics ranged from EU legal frameworks to project-based learning (e.g. Procure4Health, SHIELD4CROWD, INTERCEPT) and real-world examples like energy-efficient building demonstrators. The practitioners’ panel, thematic sessions, and presentations on emerging technologies created fertile ground for cross-border collaboration and knowledge transfer.
Building an Ecosystem of Innovation through Procurement
INPROCAP’s presence at the Warsaw Forum reaffirmed the project’s role as a driving force in shaping an ecosystem where procurement is not just a legal obligation, but a strategic enabler of innovation. By engaging with key stakeholders, the project continues to build momentum for standardising innovation procurement approaches across Europe’s research landscape. Prticularly in sectors where public investment fuels high-impact technological development.
