Building the ENRICH Community - Common European Network as Advantage for ENRICH in Brazil, China and in the USA

This paper investigates the benefits and risks of cooperation on the case of the European Network of Research and Innovation Centres and Hubs (ENRICH), which is currently being established in Brazil, China and the United States. Funded by Horizon 2020, an initiative of the European Union to foster research and innovation, the programme seeks to consolidate a European network in the field with other important regions of the globe. In this scenario, it is argued that building a common European community would bring more incentives and benefits to ENRICH than having a separate one for each centre, in line with noteworthy economic theories. By creating an even stronger strategic network, the ENRICH initiative could make use of its biggest assets - its partners and acting markets - to strategically insert itself into the global innovation ecosystem as a major player.