The UNECE Interim Sub-Regional Innovation Policy Outlook (IIPO) provides an update on recent trends and developments in innovation policy governance and support mechanisms in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus (EESC). It follows the first Sub-Regional Innovation Policy Outlook for EESC (IPO), which was published in 2020. The IIPO publication focuses on two topics in particular that were chosen by the beneficiary countries as priority areas for innovation-led sustainable growth: how to strengthen knowledge linkages and relationships between the research and business sector and how to improve the use of IEP to create demand for and incentivise innovation for sustainable development. This report focuses on how countries can strengthen linkages between science and businesses and leverage the use of innovation-enhancing procurement for innovation-led, sustainable growth based on economic specifics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine