The ECLIPSE community acts as a collaborative hub that connects public procurers, startups, investors, and other stakeholders to drive innovation in public procurement. Its main functions include:

• Defining Challenges: Public procurers share functional needs to shape market challenges without prescribing solutions, encouraging creativity.

• Facilitating Dialogue: It fosters open discussions to align public needs with innovative ideas and investor interests.

• Supporting Tender Preparation: Procurers gather input from the community to refine tenders and make them more attractive and effective.

• Training & Capacity Building: Members access training modules from the ECLIPSE NAVIGATOR toolbox to better formulate challenges.

• Promoting Tenders: Published tenders gain visibility among startups and SMEs within the community.

• Engaging Startups: Matching tools connect startups to relevant tenders and opportunities.

• Risk Assessment: Provides tools like SRLS to help startups anticipate and manage risks.

• Pitching Events: Organizes events (e.g., Get in the Ring) for startups to showcase solutions to investors and partners.

In essence: The ECLIPSE community streamlines innovation procurement by creating a dynamic ecosystem where public needs meet private innovation and investment, ensuring impactful solutions for society.