International Projects

Danube DNA

The Danube DNA will be the nucleus of integrative smart specialization, skills development, cross-sectorial collaborations, SMEs transformation, and transition towards industry and logistics 4.0, through the transfer of knowledge, inter‐regional capacity building, jointly developed solutions, and implementation of innovative and sustainable pilot actions.

The main challenge of the project is the coordinated transnational digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises in the direction of industry and logistics 4.0 in the Danube region. The project supports this through the creation of knowledge transfer modules, which provide knowledge about the possibilities and benefits of SME digitization and help increase awareness, and then the goal is to develop common solutions that are necessary and feasible among SMEs in the entire region. Cross-border cooperation and the promotion of horizontal and vertical integration of SMEs along the Danube region are realized through a transnational capacity-building and knowledge transfer event.

 

Main data of the project:

Project title: Danube Digital transformation Network of Active SMEs training and knowledge transfer centers

Project code: DRP0200391

 

Partners:

Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad

IT&C Cluster “Lower Danube”

Foundation Cluster Information and Communication Technologies

TERA TEHNOPOLIS Ltd.

Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice

South Trasndanubian Regional Innovation Agency

Pomurje Technology Park

SOVA Digital Inc.

TUM International GmbH

CAMPUS 02 University of Applied Sciences

Sarajevo Economic Region Development Agency

CHAMBER OF ECONOMY OF MONTENEGRO

 

Project budget in EUR: 1,727,624 EUR

Funding program: Interreg Danube Transnational Programme

Project duration: 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026



DANUBE WOOD(s)ROUTE

The main goal of the project is to utilize the natural resources and cultural features of the forests in the Danube Region in order to create sustainable and innovative ecotourism and develop related services.

Huge economic differences between the western and eastern parts of the Danube region, as well as between some city centres and the surrounding rural areas, are typical, which can also be observed in the quality of the tourist offer. The project develops an ecotourism alternative, a nature-based solution for sustainable development and the preservation of the cultural identity of local communities, and develops a friendlier attitude towards wood and the sustainable use of forest resources, while supporting the long-term preservation of this European heritage.

 

Main data of the project:

Project title: Richness of Danube forests and wood cultural heritage (tangible, intangible)-way towards sustainable green tourism embedded in European cultural route of Danube timber 

Project code: DRP0200569

 

Partners:

  1. BSC, Business support centre L.t.d., Kranj (Slovenia) 
  2. Institute for sustainable development (Slovenia)
  3. Holz von Hier nonprofit Ltd. (Germany)
  4. Association of Parks in Bulgaria (Bulgaria) 
  5. Varna Economic Development Agency (Bulgaria)
  6. WWF Romania Association (Romania) 
  7. Regional Development Agency of the Pilsen Region (Czech Republic)
  8. Woodworld Murau (Austria)
  9. Croatian Wood Cluster (Croatia)
  10. DDRIÜ Nonprofit Kft. (Hungary)
  11. Regional development Agency of the Presov self governing region (Slovakia)
  12. SMART Development Center Association (Romania)
  13. Danube competence center (Serbia)
  14. Zlatibor Regional Development Agency (Serbia)
  15. Active Sarajevo economic region development agency (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
  16. National park Kozara (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

 

Project budget in EUR: 2 880 550 EUR

Funding program: Interreg Danube Transnational Programme

Project duration: 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026



RISE – Rising competences & skills in less developed Danube regions through food sector cross-topic innovations

Main problem is related to innovation capacity in remote areas. In partner regions those areas are facing declining employment opportunities in traditional industries as result of structural change.This emphasises the need to take steps to stimulate economic activity with employment generating potential for regions are facing difficulties in maintaining a critical mass of facilities to support economic development.Analysis show that food sector together with other value chain related sectors represent one of the most important, potential field to leverage improvement of socio-economic situation in remote areas.

The overall objective of RISE is improving entrepreneurial competences and skills in remote areas through food innovation potentials with the aim to accelerate transnational knowledge transfer integrated into sustainable trasnational mentorship program to raise the competences of (1) regional mentors in partner pilot regions and (2)small-scale food & drink providers in cross-sector topics with the focus on digital, energy efficient and material circular technology improvements in partner remote areas.

 

Main data of the project:

Project title: Rising competences & skills in less developed Danube regions through food sector cross-topic innovations

Project code: DRP0200476

 

Partners:

Pomurje Technology Park – Slovenia (LP)

South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Hungary

Burgenland Business Agency – Austria

The Roznava Regional Advisory and Information Centre – Slovakia

Innovation Centre INION – Czeh Republic

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia – Serbia

Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations – Varna (RAPIV) – Bulgaria

Pforzheim University – Germany

University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca – Romania

Digital Innovation Hub ONEX – Bosnia and Herzegovina

Digital innovation hub Agrifood Croatia – Croatia

 

Project budget in EUR: 2,068,451.40 €

Funding program: Interreg Danube Transnational Programme

Project duration: 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026



NRGCOM – Creating appropriate operational conditions for renewable energy communities in the Danube Region

The goal of the project is to provide the Danube Region with proper environment and informed society, where community renewable energy initiatives can be launched and expand unhindered, thus facilitating the green transition and increasing energy efficiency, contributing to the achievement of the decarbonisation climate targets and enhancing energy security. 

The Danube Region relies heavily on imported, fossil-fuel energy sources, which raises environmental, efficiency and security concerns. The concept of renewable energy communities (RECs) is not widely known in the region, and their operation is often hampered by legal, internal operational, infrastructural or technical barriers.

The project will explore and propose legal solutions, and analyse various operational models, in order to provide the necessary and appropriate conditions for the creation of energy communities. In order to raise awareness on current energy challenges in the Danube Region and to achieve the most widespread change possible, the partners will address and involve various authorities and agencies, municipalities, members of energy communities, NGOs, SMEs, operators and service providers, as well as the general public, and develop and test incentive methodologies to enhance behavioural change. Partners will educate and train the target audience to become environmental and energyconscious and to set up RECs.

 

Main data of the project:

Project title: Creating appropriate operational conditions for renewable energy communities in the Danube Region

Project code: DRP0200163

 

Partners:

South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Hungary (LP)

IMRO-DDKK Nonprofit Ltd. – Hungary

South Bohemian Agency for Support to Innovation (JAIP) – Czeh Republic

Research Burgenland Ltd. – Austria

IRENA Istrian Regional Energy Agency – Croatia

Energy Agency of Savinjska, Šaleška and Koroška Region – Slovenia

Pazardzhik Regional Administration – Bulgaria

Regional Economic Development Agency for Sumadija and Pomoravlje – Serbia

Romanian Network of Energy Cities (OER) – Romania

FORS Montenegro – Foundation for the Development of Northern Montenegro – Montenegro

DIT – Institute of Technology – Germany

National Energy Cluster – NEK – Slovakia

Alliance for Energy Efficiency and Renewables – Moldova

 

Project budget in EUR: 2,533,053.86 €

Funding program: Interreg Danube Transnational Programme

Project duration: 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026



TEX-DAN – Moving forward with circularity in textile and fashion value chains

TEX-DAN aims at the uptake of technologies at SMEs for improved circularity in the textile and fashion (T&F) value chains through transnational collaboration in the Danube Region. The Danube Region is characterised by large differences in the use of circular solutions in the textile and fashion value chains. In many ways textile and fashion sectors are lagging behind other sectors including circularity. In addition, a low level of awareness is observed all over the Danube Region.

Therefore, the TEX-DAN partnership agrees that there is a need for improvement in knowledge, approaches, know how about innovative technologies, support measures, policy change that will lead to successful embedding of circularity in the textile branch.

The partnership aims at upgrading local, regional and national policies that promote circularity. The project aims at boosting transnational collaboration and knowledge exchange and will set up various sustainable transnational collaboration forms.

 

Main data of the project:

Project title: Moving forward with circularity in textile and fashion value chains

Project code: DRP0200164

 

Partners:

South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Hungary (LP)

JAIP – South Bohemian Agency for Support to Innovation – Czech Republic

National recycling agency of Slovakia – Slovakia 

Center of Excellence for Circular Economy and Climate Change llc.Novi Sad – Serbia

Institute for Sustainable Development – Slovenia

Reginnova NE Innovation and R&D – Romania

Development Agency of the Republic of Srpska – Bosnia and Herzegovina

Croatian agency for SME, Innovation and Investments – Croatia

Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovations – Varna – Bulgaria

University of Applied Sciences – Austria

BSC, Business support centre L.t.d., Kranj – Slovenia

IFKA Public Benefit Nonprofit Ltd. – Hungary

ZIPHOUSE Fashion Innovation Hub – Moldova

Blue Planet Climate Protection Foundation – Hungary

 

Project budget in EUR: 2.716.892,32 €

Funding program: Interreg Danube Transnational Programme

Project duration: 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026



Circular SME Scan in Hospitality

Sustainable tourism, hospitality development requires informed participation of all relevant stakeholders, as well as strong political leadership to ensure wide participation and consensus building. Hospitality sector will be more sustainable through SMEs and their ecosystem’s circular movements. Circular SME Scan in Hospitality (CSS-H) increases and encourages joint action across the value chain by providing tools and materials for increased circularity cooperation across the whole chain.

 

CSS-H provides (micro)SME owners, managers and staff with the knowledge, skills and competences to become more circular, through the development of an evidence-based auto-diagnostic tool that guides them to the specific knowledge most relevant for their situation and business, not only from the perspective of their own internal processes, but also from their position within the value chain (and its processes) which requires coordinated (local) action with the rest of the actors in the chain.

 

Main data of the project:

Project title: Circular SME Scan in Hospitality

Project code: KA220 – VET – 000153779

 

Partners:

South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Hungary (LP)

EOLAS S.L. – Spain

AVACA TECHNOLOGIES CONSULTING, INFORMATICS AE – Greece

LIETUVOS KAIMO TURIZMO ASOCIACIJA – Lithuania

Eger Térsége TDM Egyesület – Hungary

Udruga turističkih djelatnika Gorskog kotara “Wondernature” – Croatia

Bia Innovator Campus CLG – Ireland

 

Project budget in EUR: 250.000,00 €

Funding program: Erasmus+ KA2

Project duration: 01.11.2023 – 31.10.2025.



Upskilling local public actors for e-bus transition

Upskilling local public actors for e-bus transition (Skilled-eBus-Transition) project focuses on electric bus related VET skills and capacity building for green and climate friendly mobility. Management and staff of local public bodies and companies (including public private partnerships) in urban public transport are assisted in e-bus centered decision-making & implementation and in e-bus-fleet deployment & operation. E-bus industry, green transition experts, continuous training (C-)VET bodies and citizens indirectly benefit from the project.

 

The main impacts and results of the project are:

– better informed and more conscious local public managers/policy makers on e-bus transport,

– e-bus deployment-operation staff with hands-on knowledge and skills,

– e-bus industry with insight into local decision making,

– green transition experts with e-bus experiences-good practices,

– (C-)VET bodies with e-bus skills integrated curricula,

– citizens with greener and healthier local environment.

 

Main data of the project:

Project title: Upskilling local public actors for e-bus transition

Project code: KA210 – VET – 000160736

 

Partners:

South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Hungary (LP)

EOLAS S.L. – Spain

 

Project budget in EUR: 60.000,00 €

Funding program: Erasmus+ KA2

Project duration: 01.11.2023 – 30.04.2025.



DaWetRest – Danube Wetlands and flood plains Restoration through systemic, community engaged and sustainable innovative actions

DAnube WETlands REStoration (DaWetRest) Lighthouse is designed to develop and demonstrate (pilot) concrete solutions applied on the Danube basin to address the challenges faced by its inland and coastal wetlands ecosystems’, namely on (i) biodiversity, (ii) water quality and availability, (iii) climate resilience and/or neutrality and (iv) socio-economic benefits for the local communities. These transformative and innovative solutions will be validated by local communities and main Regional and European-wide stakeholders.

DaWetRest has the role to prepare and plan the replication, deployment and scaling up of the validated innovative solutions for the next mission’s phase. For this important scope, DaWetRest project proposes several strong ideas, such as (i) building and selecting interventions based on extensive and prior know-how (sibling sites and non-EU experiences), (ii) local, regional and basin scale integrated interdependent analysis of results from the planned interventions, (iii) merge DaWetRest own data, models and digital tools with existing and future ones, towards a centralized knowledge centre in the future and (iv) involve the managing authorities and a number of local actors in the entire process, from the very beginning. Thus, DaWetRest results will accelerate and generalize the deployment of innovative solutions in the second phase of the Mission. 

The demonstration of innovative and result-oriented solutions is organized in 3 DEMOs – DEMO Middle Danube (MD), DEMO Lower Danube (LD) and DEMO Danube Delta (DD). Each DEMO offers main intervention sites, pilots, sibling locations, replications, platforms/ services, local stakeholders engagement and methodologies to strengthen the innovation, knowledge and cooperation in and beyond DaWetRest in Danube basin and across Europe. 

Via a widely representative consortium as well as active cooperation (e.g. Community of Practices), DaWetRest will provide tools for a significant transformation in the Danube.

STRIA is associated partner of the project.

Main data of the project:

Project title: Danube Wetlands and flood plains Restoration through systemic, community engaged and sustainable innovative actions

Project code: 101113015

Partners:

  • Climate, atmosphere and water research institute at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences – BG 
  • SVEUCILISTE U ZAGREBU, FAKULTET STROJARSTVA I BRODOGRADNJE – HR H
  • RVATSKE VODE PRAVNA OSOBA ZA UPRAVLJANJE VODAMA – HR 
  • JAVNO PREDUZACE VOJVODINASUME, PRETROVARADIN 
  • OPCINA DRAZ HR 
  • CENTAR KOMPETENCIJA DOO ZA ISTRAZIVANJE I RAZVOJ HR 
  • Sportsko ribolovna udruga Odra Velika Gorica HR 
  • Poljoprivredna strucna sluzba Sombor RS 
  • Jadranski Inovacijski Centar HR
  • Duna-Dráva Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság (Duna-Dráva National Park Directorate) – 
  • DDRIÜ Dél-Dunántúli Regionális Innovációs Ügynökség Nonprofit Kft. – HU 
  • Skola za osnovno obrazovanje odraslih – RS
  • UNIVERZITET U NOVOM SADU FAKULTET TEHNICKIH NAUKA – RS
  • SDRUZENIE ASOCIACIJA NA DUNAVSKITE OBSTINI-DUNAV – BG
  • Regionalna Inspekciia po okolnata sreda i vodite Ruse – BG 
  • Municipality of Silistra – BG
  • Municipality of Tutrakan – BG
  • Slivo pole municipality – BG
  • UNIVERSITY OF RUSE ANGEL KANCHEV – BG 
  • Scortel Ltd – BG
  • DONAU TRANSIT Ltd – BG
  • DPP Rusenski Lom – BG 
  • Regional academic center of BAS Burgas – BG 
  • INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE DELTA DUNARII – RO
  • MINISTERUL MEDIULUI, APELOR SI PADURILOR – RO 
  • UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI – RO 
  • GEOSTUD – RO
  • DANUBE DELTA BIOSPHERE RESERVE AUTHORITY – RO
  • SC COMPLEX DELTA SRL – RO 
  • NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION APELE ROMANE – RO
  • INSTITUTIA PREFECTULUI JUDETUL TULCEA – RO
  • Primaria Murighiol – RO
  • FEDERATIA ORGANIZATIILOR PRODUCATORILOR – DE
  • PESTE DIN DELTA DUNARII – RO
  • STUF DELTA PRODUCTION – RO 
  • Asociatia “Ivan Patzaichin – Mila 23” – RO 
  • PANNON EGYETEM – UNIVERSITY OF PANNONIA – HU 
  • UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA GHEORGHE ASACHI DIN IASI – RO 
  • UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA A MOLDOVEI – MD 
  • NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF UKRAINE IGOR SIKORSKY KYIV POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE – UA 
  • BUREAU DE RECHERCHES GEOLOGIQUES ET MINIERES – FR
  • SLOVENSKA POLNOHOSPODARSKA UNIVERZITA V NITRE – Sk
  • Institutul de Ecologie si Geografie – MD 
  • GGT-Gabinete de Planeamento e Gestão do Território, Lda – PT
  • INSTITUTE OF COMMUNICATION AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS – EL
  • INOVA+ – INNOVATION SERVICES, SA – PT 
  • STEINBEIS INNOVATION GGMBH – DE

Project budget in EUR: 9,398,213.75  €

Funding program: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based

Project duration: 02.01.2023 – 31.12.2026.



CIREVALC – Introducing and upscaling circular economy models  in regional value chains in the food, catering and packaging sectors

CIREVALC aims at introducing and upscaling circular economy models in regional value chains in the food, catering and packaging sectors through community building, strengthening circular economy skills of enterprises, non-business entities and local communities and through improving policy learning. Our project helps to solve the challenges of low awareness, low engagement, non-receptive communities towards the application of circular economy models, lack of skills and knowledge and lack of or inefficient use of tools, and also low uptake of solutions, lack of bespoke private and public measures.

In our project regional development agencies, sectorial agencies, business support organisations work together spanning across nine member states. We start with community building through awareness raising and mobilising stakeholders and through looking into the obstacles and drivers of using circular solutions in the food, catering and packaging sectors. We go on designing our CIREVALC Circular Community Accelerator, a complex tool that facilitates the green transition of local pioneers, SMEs, local communities. We are going to test and evaluate our solution in a pilot action in the regions through involving local pioneers. Finally, we connect communities and we invite third parties to join our initiative, the CIREVALC Accelerator Network.

Building on our white paper and formulating and starting implementing regional action plans and the CIREVALC CE level action plan we improve related policy instruments in our regions. As a result, we expect improved capacities and increased level of knowledge in our target groups. Furthermore, we expect to see substantial improvement in terms of exploiting potentials of circular economy practices in the food, catering and packaging sectors in our regions.

Main data of the project:

Project title: Introducing and upscaling circular economy models  in regional value chains in the food, catering and packaging sectors

Project code: CE0100414

Partners:

  • South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Lead Partner- Hungary
  • IFKA Public Benefit Nonprofit Ltd. – Hungary
  • BSC, Business support organisation L.t.d., Kranj – Slovenia
  • Rzeszow Regional Development Agency – Poland
  • Padova Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture – Italy
  • JAIP – South Bohemian Agency for Support to Innovation – Czech Republic
  • AZRRI-Agency for Rural Development of Istria Ltd. – Croatia
  • RKW Saxony GmbH Service and Consulting – Germany
  • Business Upper Austria – (Biz up) – Austria
  • B I C Bratislava, Ltd. – Szlovákia

Project budget in EUR: 2,314,092.37 €

Funding program: Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE

Project duration: 01.04.2023 – 31.03.2026.

(More information: https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/cirevalc/ )



PROMOTER – PROMoting TERritorial strategies for sustainable mobility through green energy prosumer hubs

PROMOTER enables EU to achieve its climate neutrality and re-power, by pursuing innovative decarbonised mobility, thus contributing to a greener territorial quality. To contribute this change, it promotes green energy hub-production at local level supporting sustainable transport.

As prices for clean energy and storage technologies continue to fluctuate and regions explore ways to reduce emissions and dependency from fossil fuel and currently from foreign sources, integrating higher shares of renewable energies is becoming more urgent and complex.

While the watchword of the pandemic was “distancing”, “proximity” thus imposes itself in the aftermath; energy management linked with mobility management, increasing role of energy sustainable local communities (engaged in both production & consumption), hub digital infrastructure to monitor and guide energy performance production and consumption trends, can all play their role.

In order to get away from a logic of emergency, foster balanced diversification and reduce emissions and diseconomies, the project contributes to them by connecting together a “most appropriate use of public and/or private assets for hubs “, “energy generation from sustainable sources” (solar, hydrogen, wind, biomass, geothermal and others) and its related distribution patterns, with “urban and peri-urban mobility” thus effectively addressing the “proximity” social inclusion.

The approach to improve the energy governance to feed green mobility issue, within the policies addressed by the partners, is to:

A. identify their “drivers and barriers” to the issue being pursued

B. document and share Good Practices and policy experiences regarding: technology, financial, normative & regulatory aspects, organisational management, community empowerment

C. promote policy solutions capable of improving the delivery of regional development policies and making them more effective and sustainable.

Main data of the project:

Project title: PROMoting TERritorial strategies for sustainable mobility through green energy prosumer hubs
Project code: 01C0143

Partners:

  • Province of Livorno – Italy – Lead Partner
  • Rezekne City Municipality – Latvia
  • Central Finland Regional Council – Finland
  • AG MOBI-O – Belgium
  • DEX Innovation Centre – Czech Republic
  • City of Bystřice – Chezh Republic
  • Brasov County Council – Romania
  • Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia – Spain
  • Sintra Municipality – Portugal
  • South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Hungary

Project budget in EUR: 2 145 231 €

Funding program: Interreg EUROPE

Project duration: 01.03.2023 – 31.05.2027.



National Projects

 

2020-3.1.4-ZFR-EKM – Pilot project of promoting the establishment of energy communities

Establishment and operation of an energy community in District VII. of Budapest

The overall goal of the project is to establish and operate an energy community in District VII. of Budapest, which integrates a wide range of stakeholders and relevant actors (energy consumers, producers, service providers, actors with different energy and legal characteristics and interests) to a common system, and at the same time, it presents and organizes as much of the traditional and innovative technical and financial solutions as possible. By the end of the project the aim is to elaborate the regulatory documents, technical-energy, legal and financial mechanisms of the energy community, which have been tested and proved to be adequate. The project is based on digital solutions, and applies several smart and innovative solutions as well. With the integration of elements of the technical content, as well as the technical, legal and financial expertise of the energy community members significantly benefits can be realised in the fields of R&D, technical-energy, hardware development, and institutional-legal development. The flexibility, capacity, performance etc. of the energy community, can regulate the assets of the community (taking into account the current production-consumption characteristics and energy prices), while aiming at technical and financial optimum and providing services for all internal and external stakeholders in an adequate quality. Th energy community is the overall result, „product” of the project, that can be identified as a crowdfunding investment vehicle. The energy community will be able to finance its operation from its revenues, while bringing benefits to all internal and external stakeholders.