Main Objectives

• to identify the main challenges and to improve the framework conditions in innovation and technology transfer in the Danube region
• to foster the cooperation in the field of innovation and technology transfer to generate concrete transnational projects
• to support and improve the competitiveness of the Danube region by generating concrete Technology Offers, Technology Requests and Expression of Interest in the field of innovation and technology transfer
• to support cross-fertilisation collaboration in innovation and technology transfer by organising specific thematic workshops
• to improve policy dialog and public governance in innovation and technology transfer by promoting adequate policies and policy papers
• to support and improve the innovation technology transfer framework conditions at the local and regional level through the flagship project “Danube Transfer Center network” as HUBs for SMEs
• to support and increase the participation of the Danube actors in EU innovation and technology transfer financed projects

 

The strategic goals of the WG I&TT with regard to Priority Area 8 is to improve business support to strengthen the capacities of SMEs for cooperation and trade, within different INTERREG and Horizon projects and within the framework of WG I&TT’s flagship project, Danube Transfer Center (DTC) Network.

 

WG I&TT was founded and continues to act as open group without fixed membership. Involvement and contribution of experts and stakeholders depends on the topics of work. At this moment we have 61 members from 14 countries. Some of WG I&TT members are also members of the European Enterprise Network (EEN), which helps us to support to achieve the Targets 1 and 2 of the Action 1 from EUSDR Action Plan.

To actively pursue set objectives, the WG I&TT follows an defined action, which focuses on attracting stakeholders from across the Danube Region to foster cooperation in areas where there is particular knowledge such as in innovation, design and technology transfers. The identification of the main challenges will help to improve the framework conditions in innovation and technology transfer in the Danube Region. To secure effectiveness of this action, targets have been formulated:

 

Target 1.1: Preparation of at least five concrete technology offers and requests
Target 1.2: Involvement of at least 10 new Danube actors in EU innovation and technology transfer financed projects. Timeframe: by Mid 2022

 

The achievement of the respective targets is monitored continously. In fact, both targets set by the WG I&TT haven been achieved with great success. For target 1.1, , a total of 23 offers and requests were implemented between the Danube Partners. For target 1.2, exactly 10 new Danube partners were successfully invited to participate in EU-funded projects in the period 2020-2022. The following table shows the 10 new project partners:

Due to the successful achievement of targets 1.1 and 1.2, a third target was added. It aims to contribute to an overall increase in the competitiveness of SMEs across the Danube Region through the flagship project “Danube Transfer Center network”. This is supposed to be achieved through a networking extension with at least 4 new DTC Hubs in at least 3 countries.

 

To support the transformative power to Innovation and Technology Transfer the WG I&TT will organise every year WG I&TT Meetings. In particular two Virtual Knowledge Exchange Meetings and one On-site Meeting inviting all consolidated members of the WG in the field of I&TT. Within the practice-oriented Entrepreneurial Life Experience businesses and other organisations looking for partners to take their projects forward will be brought together in the I&TT EEN (Enterprise Europe Network) Brokerage Event organised by the WG I&TT. In the period of 2020-2022 twenty-three Danube partners successfully connected to other Danube partners via EEN Technology Offers and Technology Requests.

 

In addition to that, the I&TT Community of Practice will foster Knowledge Triangle encounters and will organise a Policy Exploration System in the thematic field of Innovation and Technology Transfer and will prepare different policy paper in the domains of I&TT. Steinbeis Europa Zentrum (SEZ), as head of WG I&TT, developed together with different partners policy papers based on mappings, studies, benchmarkings and stakeholder dialogues. Those papers focused on a wide spectrum of topics, relevant for the Danube Region, reaching from social innovation and MedTech to agro-food and bioeconomy.

 

The WG I&TT supports the increasing participation of Danube Actors in EU technology transfer financed projects. This fosters the cooperation in the field of innovation and technology transfer. The WG I&TT was able to successfully invite ten new Danube partners in EU financed projects in the period 2020-2022. The capitalisation of projects and initiatives and the facilitation of strategic Transnational Capitalisation Effects for SMEs will be implemented in close cooperation with the EUSDR PA8 WG I&TT flagship project of the DTC (Danube Transfer Centres) network (DTC Hubs4SMEs), the Capitalisation of WG I&TT and the Interreg DTP (Danube Transnational Programme) Pole 1, 2 and 3 as well as Enterprise-Europe-Network (EEN). Capitalisation Workshops on a yearly-basis in the thematic field of I&TT help to join forces for macro-regional projects or initiatives, while the DTC Hubs4SMEs will be in the position to reach as much relevant stakeholders from the business (SMEs) and the research sector, to bring them into the activities.

 

 

Best Practice

The DTC (Danube Transfer Centres) network, with its intermediary role between the business and the research sector, is an excellent best practice showcase for not only capitalisation within the Interreg DTP, but also among the strategy level of the EUSDR as well as EU-level in other funding programmes (e.g. Horizon 2020). The partners of the DTC Hubs4SMEs participate concurrently in various projects of Horizon 2020 and the Interreg DTP and are also thereby active in the DTP Capitalisation Strategy as they are members of the different Thematic Poles, such as the Pole 1 “Innovative Ecosystem for SMEs” and also members of the EUSDR WGs (e.g. in PA8 and PA7).

In 2022, the 10^th anniversary of DTC network was celebrated, which has played and still plays a decisive role in fulfilling the goal of WG I&TT to support and improve the innovation and technology transfer framework conditions at the local and regional level. The now increased to 15 Danube Transfer Centers contribute to capacity building within the whole Danube macro-region by providing numerous trainings & workshops e.g. for proposal and project management in the field of innovation and technology transfer. In sum, until 2022, around 31,8 million Euro of funding were acquired in the framework of the DTC network.

 

11th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, 10 Years DTC Jubilee, 19th of October 2022, Kosice, Slovakia

 

Presentation with pictures of DTC: DTC-Bilder

 

Additionally a new format „DTC coffee kitchens“ to discuss cooperation opportunities has been started in 2022. In four online meetings, each dedicated to a specific topic, DTC partners met and discussed cooperation opportunities and potentials for capitalizing on previous projects’ results, cross-fertilizing between those projects and the respective consortia.

 

 

DTC Mission

Report on the Working Group Meeting on July 10th 2023:

In the framework of the event “The Danube Region at the turn of times – actively shaping the transformation. – Solution approaches for politics and business.” on July 10th in Stuttgart, EUSDR PA8’s Working Group “Innovation and Technology Transfer” met and conducted a workshop on the topic “Innovations from the Danube Region towards the Net-Zero Age”.

The workshop aimed to discuss sustainable manufacturing practices in the Danube Region in light of green and digital transformation. It was divided into two parts and included informative presentations on funding opportunities, the role of the working group in fostering collaboration, and integrating sustainability into manufacturing. The interactive working session that followed allowed participants to discuss challenges and propose solutions for access to finance, resilient supply chains, the regulatory environment, and capability development. The results provide valuable insights towards the development of new project proposals to promote sustainable manufacturing in the region.

Overall, the workshop fostered knowledge sharing and collaboration among participants from various Danube countries. Participants demonstrated their commitment to driving positive change and embracing green and digital transformation to create a more sustainable and resilient manufacturing sector in the Danube Region. The interactive discussions and strategic planning demonstrated the potential for innovation and collaborative efforts to address these challenges and lead the region to a greener future.

 

Pictures of the Working Group Meeting:

https://competitiveness.danube-region.eu/gallery/pa-8-working-group-innovation-and-technology-transfer-meeting-july-10th-2023/