SPRINT

Project summary

Specific cross-borders objectives of the project were: the identification of the innovation potential in companies and research institutions in the cross-border area; enhancement of cross-border connections between the companies with innovation potential and creating relationships in order to increase knowledge flow, improve cooperation among the economy, research and education institutions in the region; promotion of joint development ideas, assessment of their innovation potential and preparation of proposals for specific projects; preparing proposals for measures to enhance the growth of innovative companies – a set of recommendations for the public sector oriented towards the implementation of activities, that will systematically contribute to the knowledge transfer from the research into the entrepreneurship community in the project area; improvement of the business and technology cooperation between regions in the bordering area, and integration of the area into the international technology initiatives. The added value of the project was a recommendation to the relevant institutions of cross-border regions to encourage the growth of innovative enterprises, as well as “start-up” companies. Outputs of the project were: analysis of innovation potential; analysis summary publication; user friendly web application with a database and digital map of identified actors; joint methodology for performing screening meetings; screening meetings with identified companies and institutions; matchmaking meetings; educational workshops on financing possibilities for R&D projects; a proposal for measures to foster growth of innovative and start-up companies; a publication of the summary of proposed measures to foster growth of innovative and start-up companies; sector-specific seminars; capacity-building trainings for businessmen and researchers on business process management and product commercialization; professional conferences on topics related to the importance of cooperation between the economy and academia, as well as on importance of R&D and technology transfer in increasing competitiveness of the economy; a joint web page; a trilingual brochure about the project; bilingual leaflets about the project; a press conferences.