ENGAGING INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS FOR SUCCESS IN EUROPEAN RESEARCH PROJECTS: LESSONS FROM THE HORIZON EUROPE INITIATIVE

European framework programmes, such as Horizon Europe, increasingly reward consortia of partners which can turn scientific excellence into measurable socio-economic impact. Within the Triple Helix model of government–university–industry collaboration, industrial partners are no longer passive end-users, but act as co-creators raising the technology readiness level, securing exploitation pathways and anchoring results in real markets. This paper examines how industrial engagement in European projects could be a possible example, drawing on the experience of the recently submitted Common Suns (Ener-C project) on digitalized, citizen-centered energy communities. It analyses the complementary roles played by Edison, as an energy utility, and STMicroelectronics, as a semiconductor manufacturer, and distills practical recommendations for academia, public institutions and enterprises seeking to strengthen Triple Helix linkages.