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Short Abstract

AUTH will present the Thessaloniki pilots of GILL and INNOVADE, showcasing how Citizen Science and Living Labs can co-create digital democracy tools and gendered innovation ecosystems that foster inclusivity, trust, and citizen empowerment in governance.

Abstract

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) will present insights from the Thessaloniki pilots of two Horizon Europe projects: GILL (Gendered Innovation Living Labs) and INNOVADE (Innovative Democracy through Digitalisation). Both pilots explore how Citizen Science methodologies can be embedded in Living Lab ecosystems to promote participatory, inclusive, and gender-responsive innovation.

In GILL, Thessaloniki serves as a testbed for gendered and diversity-aware innovation practices that involve citizens, industry, government, and academia in co-designing equitable digital and social solutions. In INNOVADE, Citizen Science is applied to the co-creation of digital democracy tools, engaging diverse communities in defining needs, testing prototypes, and evaluating social impact.

Together, the pilots demonstrate how Citizen Science complements Living Lab principles—turning citizens into co-researchers and co-creators of knowledge and technology. This dual approach enhances usability, inclusiveness, and trust, while addressing challenges linked to governance gaps, digital divides, and cultural barriers common in Southeastern Europe.

AUTH contributes both methodological and technological innovations, including tools such as DemocraSeek (a generative AI knowledge navigator) and DemocratAIze (an AI-based analysis platform), designed to strengthen transparency, explainability, and citizen engagement.

The presentation will highlight how these pilots enrich the broader European learning ecosystem of Living Labs by advancing bottom-up, gendered, and participatory innovation for more democratic and resilient societies.