Innovation, Technology and Industry in One Place: Mostar as a Meeting Point for Regional Cooperation

How can research, technology, and industry be effectively connected? Which cooperation models deliver real results for small and medium-sized enterprises? And how can successful European practices be applied in our context?

The “RTIT>> Conference: Where Industry Meets Innovation” will take place on June 2, 2026, at the INTERA Technology Park, bringing together representatives from the public sector, academia, and industry with the aim of exchanging knowledge, experience, and concrete solutions to strengthen the innovation ecosystem. The conference will focus on technology transfer, the development of innovation systems, and the application of advanced materials and technologies in industry, with a special emphasis on supporting SMEs in the commercialization of innovation.

Participants will have the opportunity to hear inspiring examples from across Europe—from the development of disruptive innovations and deep-tech solutions to the creation of strong industrial clusters and knowledge communities, as well as concrete successful models of cooperation between research institutions and businesses. Topics will include innovations in bio-based materials, composite technologies as drivers of industrial development, and effective approaches to knowledge transfer “from lab to market.”

A special part of the program will be dedicated to a panel discussion bringing together experts from multiple countries to exchange experiences on the implementation of pilot actions, varying levels of readiness among SMEs and research and technology organizations for collaboration, and the challenges and opportunities in developing innovation partnerships. The detailed program and event schedule are available at the provided link.

Speakers will come from renowned organizations that actively shape innovation policies and industrial ecosystems in Europe, including agencies for disruptive innovation, leading clusters in advanced materials, development and innovation centers, and chambers of commerce. Their experience represents concrete and proven models of cooperation between science and industry, offering participants insight into practices that are already successfully functioning in developed European markets. If you are interested, please confirm your participation by completing the registration form at the provided link.

The working language of the conference will be English, with simultaneous interpretation into the local language provided.

The conference is held as the final event of the project “Knowhow Communities for Accelerating RTI Transfer in the Danube Region (RTIT>>),” which aimed to strengthen the innovation capacities of SMEs in the field of materials and material technologies. The project focused on improving cooperation between companies and research and technology organizations, with the goal of reducing risk and increasing the success rate of innovation commercialization.

The project was co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Danube Region Programme and by the Federal Ministry of Development, Entrepreneurship and Crafts through the program “Enhancement of Institutional Entrepreneurial Infrastructure.”