Boosting IT Spin-offs and Smart Specialization in Danube Region

 The SpinIT project addresses significant territorial disparities within the Danube Region, specifically in innovation capacity, technological development, and ecosystem isolation in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. The project’s impact focuses on three main areas: supporting innovation intermediaries, engaging a broad range of stakeholders, and promoting ecosystem linkages aligned with Smart Specialization Strategies (S3) through targeted communication and event organization. 

 The SpinIT project aims to bridge innovation gaps in the Danube Region by connecting less developed hubs with advanced ones, fostering interconnectivity, and building resilient innovation networks. It emphasizes linking academia, businesses, policymakers, and SMEs with start-ups and promoting collaboration through networking, peer-learning, and local public-private partnerships. Core outputs focus on cross-border cooperation among 30 organizations, development of Local Action Plans, and pilot projects in smart specialization and IT. These pilots are validated and scaled across 10 locations in 8 countries to promote digitalization and sustainable development. 

 SpinIT’s unique focus on three clusters—IT, Industry 4.0, and IT cross-sector collaboration—targets underdeveloped regions with high impact potential. The project leverages previous project results (e.g., DIH4CPS, DANUBEPeerChains) and collaborates with ongoing initiatives to maximize knowledge sharing through networks like ARISE, while avoiding duplication. With a focus on financial resilience, institutional support, and political engagement, SpinIT aims to ensure the durability and transferability of its outcomes, establishing a lasting effect on regional innovation ecosystems.