D8.3 Industry Feedback

Work Package 8, led by INLECOM Systems Ltd, focuses on coordinating and protecting the Intellectual Property, guiding the filing of minimum patents with the the ultimate goal of protecting and retaining the commercially strategic IP “for Europe” and “within Europe”, in turn giving commercialising actors within the consortium a competitive advantage on a worldwide stage.

Specifically,T8.4 consolidated VARCITIES’ commercial trajectory by securing patents, refining the business plan, assessing ROI, and leveraging the Healthy Cities Helix to define a clear go-to-market roadmap and post-project investment opportunities. Deliverable D8.3 presents the feedback received from the industry demand-side.

Key messages

  • VARCITIES provides proven strategies and actionable insights for scaling Nature-Based Solutions in urban contexts, making sustainable city planning more achievable

  • By identifying commercialization barriers and supporting SME engagement, the project ensures innovations are market-ready and aligned with industry needs

  • The Healthy Cities Helix creates a lasting network for knowledge exchange, funding access, and cross-sector collaboration, enabling continued adoption of sustainable urban solutions

Executive Summary

Through pilot city assessments and stakeholder collaboration, D8.3 highlights effective strategies to overcome organizational inefficiencies, procurement challenges, and cultural resistance, laying a strong foundation for scaling and replicating NbS initiatives across Europe.

SMEs play a central role in deploying NBS, yet commercial scalability remains a challenge. D8.3 analyzed barriers including funding limitations, regulatory compliance, and procurement hurdles, providing tailored recommendations to foster supportive business ecosystems. Investor engagement and industry feedback have further refined the commercialization strategy, ensuring that project innovations align with market needs and leverage enabling technologies, digital tools, and cross-sector collaboration for maximum impact.

This is a confidential deliverable, as such the full deliverable is not available to the public.