ASTRIDE, a reporting tool and beyond, for the Hauts-de-France R&I ecosystem

The ASTRIDE platform exemplifies a strategic response to one of the key barriers in regional innovation and economic development: the fragmentation and lack of transparency in support ecosystems. For SMEs in particular, navigating the maze of public support schemes, business development services, and innovation intermediaries is often a significant obstacle to growth. ASTRIDE offers a solution by creating a shared, dynamic repository that consolidates data on companies, research institutions, support services, and funding activities, enabling better coordination and targeted interventions. For regional policy makers, this tool provides critical intelligence to fine-tune Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) and improve the effectiveness of public support. By tracking thousands of interactions and support activities, ASTRIDE facilitates both operational alignment among ecosystem actors and strategic oversight. It enables regions to detect gaps, avoid duplication of efforts, and benchmark outcomes—all essential for boosting regional competitiveness and innovation performance. ASTRIDE’s success rests on its collaborative governance model and the integration of official statistical data (from Insee), making it highly transferable. Regions aiming to enhance evidence-based policymaking, strengthen their R&I capacities, and better support industrial transition would benefit from replicating this model.