Building AI Capacity for a Sustainable and Competitive Future: New Funding Opportunity

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising industries and reshaping business operations around the world. On this account, building AI capacity is no longer optional, it is essential for fostering innovation, enhancing productivity, and securing long-term economic sustainability. In this context, the Danube Region faces the pressing need to develop AI-related competencies within organisations to boost competitiveness, and strengthen the innovation ecosystem.

In the light of this major technological shift, the DRP allocates close to 3 million euros to fund projects focused on advancing AI skills with the final goal of delivering products and services of transnational relevance and usability. The initiative seeks to enable public and non-profit private organisations, businesses and communities to keep pace with the evolving digital landscape. Additionally, by engaging non-EU countries in the Danube region, the programme aims to foster progress in the EU enlargement process.

The topic opens up broad areas of cooperation both in terms of involved organisations (e.g. public institutions, education providers and research organisations, NGOs, business support organisations, private businesses and start-ups) as well as in terms of areas of intervention. Interested applicants may choose from a wide variety of actions. For instance, they may go for adopting AI-driven solutions for business growth, integrating AI solutions into transnational, digital ecosystems, or promoting ethical and responsible AI development across industries. Alternatively, they may set out to strengthen the cooperation between educational institutions, businesses and policymakers to build an AI-ready workforce, to foster AI-driven entrepreneurship or build on existing AI-oriented platforms and services that contribute to the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region.

Disclaimer: This article does not provide complete or detailed information for application purposes. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the Call documents to ensure alignment with the Programme’s priorities and call requirements.