27 October 2026 | 13:30–15:00 CET | Online webinar
How can public buyers ensure that innovative solutions developed through pre-commercial procurement (PCP) respond to real-world needs and are ultimately adopted by the people who use them?
On 27 October 2026, PCP WISE will host the third webinar of its second Webstival series, dedicated to exploring how end-users and citizens can be meaningfully involved throughout the PCP process, from identifying needs and defining requirements to solution development, testing and adoption.
Bringing together public buyers, procurement experts and innovation practitioners, the webinar will combine insights from the PCP WISE co-production methodology with practical lessons from three other Horizon Europe PCP projects. Participants will explore the legal and procedural framework for user engagement, approaches to translating operational needs into functional and technical requirements, and the challenges and success factors involved in integrating user feedback into innovative solutions.
From user needs to innovative solutions
The session will open with an introduction by Antonia Matthies from Climate KIC on why end-user and citizen engagement matters for PCP implementation, highlighting the importance of understanding operational needs, user requirements and societal expectations to develop solutions that can be effectively adopted.
Ana Lucia Jaramillo Villacis from Corvers Procurement Services will then examine the legal framework and requirements for end-user engagement in PCP, clarifying the distinction between mandatory provisions and recommended practices.
Building on these foundations, Antonia Matthies will present lessons from the PCP WISE co-production methodology, illustrating how participatory workshops and user-driven approaches can help translate local needs and operational workflows into functional and technical requirements.
Learning from other Horizon Europe PCP projects
The webinar will also feature practical experiences from three Horizon Europe PCP projects, offering insights into how end-users and citizens can be engaged throughout procurement implementation and how their needs and feedback can inform solution development and testing.
The contributing projects and speakers are:
- SHIELD PCP – Nina Czyżewska, Polish Platform for Homeland Security
- SPACE4Cities – Renske Martijnse-Hartikka, Forum Virium Helsinki
- iProcureSecurity PCP – Bernhard Jäger, SYNYO
Their contributions will highlight practical approaches, implementation challenges and lessons learnt from engaging users in the development of innovative solutions.
From co-production to adoption: Building trust and creating solutions people will use
The webinar will conclude with a panel discussion moderated by Antonia Matthies from Climate KIC, bringing together representatives from PCP WISE, SHIELD PCP, SPACE4Cities and iProcureSecurity PCP.
The panel will feature Joost Buntsma from Het Waterschapshuis (PCP WISE), Nina Czyżewska, Renske Martijnse-Hartikka and Bernhard Jäger.
Under the title “From co-production to adoption – building trust and creating solutions people will use”, the discussion will address key factors influencing the acceptance and usability of innovative solutions, including trust, data concerns, stakeholder ownership and integration into existing workflows. Speakers will explore how public buyers, suppliers and end-users can work together throughout PCP implementation to ensure that solutions meet genuine needs and are more likely to be adopted in practice.
Join the discussion
This webinar is an opportunity for public procurers, policymakers, procurement experts, end-users and innovation practitioners to exchange experiences and explore practical ways to make user engagement an integral part of PCP implementation.
Date: 27 October 2026
Time: 13:30–15:00 CET
Format: Online webinar
Register now: PCP WISE Community Platform
The webinar is organised as part of the PCP WISE Webstival series, which brings together stakeholders to exchange knowledge and experiences on innovation procurement and climate resilience.
