REGION BRETAGNE

Their core work

Région Bretagne is the regional government authority of Brittany, France, which uses EU funding instruments to strengthen the region's research and innovation ecosystem. Their flagship activity is attracting international post-doctoral researchers to Brittany through the BIENVENUE MSCA-COFUND programme, aligned with the region's smart specialisation strategy. They also co-fund transnational research in ocean energy and ICT-enabled agri-food systems through ERA-NET Cofund mechanisms, channeling public investment into sectors strategic for Brittany's coastal and agricultural economy.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Region Bretagne's earliest H2020 engagement (2017) focused on ocean energy through the OCEANERA-NET COFUND, reflecting initial priorities around Brittany's marine resources. By 2019-2020, the focus broadened significantly: ICT-AGRI-FOOD brought digital agriculture and big data into the portfolio, while BIENVENUE shifted toward researcher talent attraction and regional capacity-building. The trajectory shows a move from sector-specific co-funding toward strategic ecosystem-building for the region.

Region Bretagne is shifting from sector-specific research co-funding toward broad-based talent attraction and digital transformation of its key industries, suggesting future collaborations will prioritize cross-disciplinary capacity-building.

How they like to work

Region Bretagne operates primarily as a funding and coordination body rather than a research performer. They coordinate their largest project (BIENVENUE, EUR 5.5M) and participate in two ERA-NET Cofunds — a pattern typical of regional authorities that pool public funding with other regions and countries. With 44 unique partners across 24 countries, they function as a broad network connector rather than a loyal repeat-partner organisation.

With 44 consortium partners spanning 24 countries across just 3 projects, Region Bretagne operates within wide pan-European networks, largely through ERA-NET mechanisms that bring together national and regional funding agencies. Their reach is notably broad for a regional authority.

What sets them apart

As a regional government — not a university or research centre — Region Bretagne brings public co-funding capacity and policy alignment that most consortium partners cannot offer. Their BIENVENUE programme makes them a direct gateway for international researchers wanting to work in Brittany across multiple disciplines. For consortium builders, partnering with them means access to regional funding streams, policy support, and a talent pipeline anchored in one of France's strongest agricultural and maritime regions.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BIENVENUE
  Their largest project (EUR 5.5M, coordinator role) — a prestigious MSCA-COFUND attracting international post-docs to Brittany across all smart specialisation areas.
• ICT-AGRI-FOOD
  ERA-NET Cofund connecting ICT, big data, and smart systems with agri-food — signals the region's push to digitise its dominant agricultural sector.