The need to reduce carbon emissions to mitigate climate risks is a reality and demands urgent changes in how society engages with energy. Collaboration between sectors and research centers has proven to be an effective path to accelerate sustaina bility transitions. This work examines the characteristics of collaborations between re search centers and several sectors in European Union (EU27) countries in the context of digital and sustainable energy transitions. Utilizing systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis, the study explores collaboration dynamics across in dustry, commerce, services, government, and NGOs. A rigorous SLR process, con ducted using the SCOPUS and Web of Science (WoS) databases, ensures methodolog ical precision. The approach adopts Open Innovation Theory (OIT) and public-private partnerships (PPPs) strategy to analyze interactions among these actors. The results show that industry and government are the main sectors driving collaboration with re search centers, while commerce and NGOs appear less engaged, revealing opportuni ties to expand collaborative ecosystems. The findings highlight how open innovation, joint research initiatives, and PPPs can align research with societal needs and accelerate innovation. Preliminary results also emphasize the importance of policy support and stakeholder engagement to strengthen collaborations that foster innovation and support energy transition.

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Sustainable Energy Transition,Digital Transformation,Research Center,Cross-Sector Collaboration,Open Innovation Second Keyword.