“Frontier Visions for More Resilient Research and Innovation Futures”: Insights from a Collaborative Working Paper

Futures Diamond is proud to highlight the recent collaboration between Rafael Popper Founder of Futures Diamond and Director of the Centre for Foresight and Internationalisation (CFI) at TP and Michał Towpik, Vice-President of Technology Partners Foundation (Poland), in co-authoring the working paper titled “Frontier Visions for More Resilient Research and Innovation Futures”.
The paper builds on the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) Reference Scenarios—Storms, Endgame, Struggling Synergies, and Opposing Views—to present new foresight perspectives aimed at improving resilience and innovation within Europe’s research and innovation (R&I) ecosystem.

Shaping Future EU R&I Policy
The paper introduces two contrasting future scenarios—Fractured Futures and Converging Horizons—which expand on existing EU foresight strategies. These scenarios explore potential developments in Europe’s R&I landscape, offering new insights into how resilience and innovation could evolve. The findings are set to inform key discussions within the EARTO-JRC Task Force on Technology Foresight and contribute to future EU R&I policy dialogues, particularly as the EU prepares for the next Framework Programme for R&I (FP10).

Foresight Methodology in Action
Drawing on proven foresight methodologies, the paper applies tools such as scenario planning, horizon scanning, and wild card analysis to anticipate critical trends and disruptions shaping Europe’s future. These insights aim to guide strategic decision-making for the EU’s R&I community and foster long-term resilience in the face of emerging challenges.

Supporting the Foresight Effort
Futures Diamond’s CEO, Monika Popper, also supported the paper’s development, providing valuable contributions and insights into foresight methodologies, which enriched the strategic recommendations and reinforced the paper’s focus on practical foresight applications.

Advancing European Collaboration and Innovation
This paper underscores the collaborative effort between European research and technology organisations (RTOs) and think tanks to strengthen the future of R&I in Europe. Futures Diamond is proud to be part of this important initiative, further advancing the role of foresight in shaping the future of innovation policy.