AGRI-BIOCIRCULAR-HUB is a first-of-its-kind excellence hub in sustainable agriculture and circular bio-economy aimed at strengthening R&I capabilities and innovation ecosystems of 3 Widening countries, including one emerging ecosystem (PL, LV and UA). Building on experience of 2 more developed countries (ES and BE), and in particular on a frontrunner region (“Catalonia”), a leading European regional ecosystems in the field, we aim to respond to the common needs and challenges of these ecosystems, fully aligned with key strategic areas for the development of the smart specializations of these regions. By bringing together relevant European and regional actors, with track record in R&I ecosystems and bioeconomy, we aim at leveraging the q-helix innovation model by creating and strengthening links between academia, business, government and society: - To promote and foster cross-border and interregional R&I cooperation, we will design and deliver a long-term R&I action plan, across key strategic R&I themes towards a sustainable and biocircular agriculture; - To enhance the R&I capabilities of 3 targeted Widening countries, we propose to design, pilot and scale up (TRL3-6) a pipeline of R&I business cases, driven by regional challenges and local innovative SMEs; -To foster and promote transfer of knowledge and good practices across regions, we will deliver capacity building, training and networking activities for innovation and entrepreneurship diffusion as well as tailored mentoring module targeting the needs of an emerging ecosystem – UA; - To promote entrepreneurship, provide support in bringing innovations to farmers, we will deliver an open innovation and entrepreneurship mentoring programme; - To promote innovation, biocircular and sustainable agriculture practices, we propose development of a cascade funding scheme to support SMEs engaged in the development and adoption of smart and circular technologies and innovation towards sustainable agriculture.