Beyond the Project Lifetime – Long-Term Pathways of Innovation in the AAL Programme

This publication explores the long-term impacts of selected AAL projects beyond their formal funding period, based on qualitative case studies and stakeholder insights. It analyses how technological, organisational and societal value evolves over time and which factors enable or hinder sustained impact. The findings show that AAL projects can generate lasting effects, including commercial products, continued research activities and strengthened collaboration networks. In particular, durable partnerships and early user involvement are key drivers for successful continuation and real-world application. Even projects without direct market uptake contribute through knowledge creation, methodological advances and ecosystem development. At the same time, the study highlights persistent structural challenges, such as limited follow-up funding, regulatory complexity and insufficient pathways from prototype to large-scale deployment. The results underline that long-term impact in the field of ageing and care innovation requires extended timeframes, strong market integration and supportive system conditions.