Funding program: 2007-2013 IPA Adriatic Cross Border Cooperation (strategic projects)
Project type: Linking and promoting the implementation of new ideas in tourism in the border region of Slovenia and Italy
Project budget: € 5.046.560,64
Project duration: 1 November 2013 – 31 March 2016
Role in the project: Project partner
Partners: Rimini Provincia (IT) – lead partner, Association of Chambers of Commerce of Veneto Region (IT), Fiuli Innovazione Research and Technology Transfer Center (IT), Scientific and Technology Park Tecnopolis (IT), SIPRO local development agency (IT) , Agency for Innovation of Administration and Public Local Services (IT), Directorate for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (Montenegro), Uzice Regional Chamber of Commerce (Serbia), Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (Serbia), Regional Development Agency Zeleni Kras (SLO), Regional Development Agency Koper (SLO), LIR Evolution (BIH), University of Pula (HR), Istrian Development Agency (HR), Atlantis Consulting (Greece), ERFC (Greece), AULEDA (Albania)
Project description:
The idea of the project stems from the need to close the gap between the Adriatic regions and the EU average in terms of RTI investments and to strengthen regional cohesion within the macro-region Ionian Adriatic and within the EU itself.
The SMART INNO project aims to overcome the identified shortcomings and deficiencies (e.g. low access to finance, lack of synergies between SMEs and research and innovation producers, policy makers and investors) by widening the geographical scope of interventions (17 regions from 8 countries will be interconnected) and using an integrated approach to link demand and supply through smart teaching and dispute management and improving access to alternative finance for regional innovation projects.
The implementation of SMART INNO will have the following effects in the participating regions:
– Establishment of a transregional network of R&D institutions and SMEs in the Adriatic, which will increase collaboration, information flow and investments through integration.
– Establish a novel ecosystem for SMEs and start-ups through training on raising capital and access to investment sources through the financial market.
– Increasing employment opportunities for scientists in their region, reducing out-migration.
– Provide alternative funding for innovative activities through the establishment of Adriatic BAN.
– Increase technology transfer from regional public research and technological development institutions to small and medium enterprises, thus increasing the exploitation of research results that create significant regional added value and spillover.
– Increase the capacity of the regional innovation system in planning, designing and monitoring RTI policies and programs.
– Establish regional data/intelligence/transfer to non-EU countries, practices, routines and methodologies that enable them to converge with EU policies.
Project website: http://www.smartinno.eu/