Bridging Bratislava & Vienna Innovation
Although Bratislava and Vienna are one of the closest capital cities worldwide, cooperation in the field of research and adoption of innovation are far from close. There is a lack of vital contacts or well established collaboration among key local players. SAPIE and its partners have plans to bring some tangible changes!
Recently, we received excellent news that our joint Slovak - Austrian project has been approved. Twin City Future Innovation Manufacturing Hub project aims at formulating policy recommendations for a transnational innovation strategy in the manufacturing and other related sectors and to create conditions for the establishment of an innovation hub between Vienna and Bratislava. Within the upcoming two years, project’s partners will jointly collaborate on various pilot activities that will contribute to closer cooperation among Bratislava and Vienna based organizations. Through different formants like joint incubation programme or series of competitions to match small innovative teams and large corporates, we will boost cross-border cooperation and lay the foundations for the establishment of a complex Bratislava - Vienna innovative ecosystem.
Stay tuned for further details. We plan to kick-off the project already during the fall 2024.
Studies clearly confirm that innovation hubs have a positive impact on regional innovation ecosystems and related economic growth. Nevertheless, they are Vienna and Bratislava are still under-represented in the global "high-tech hub" environment. Thanks to European initiatives such as the 'New European Innovation Agenda', which will also focus on 'Innovation Valleys', there is an opportunity to strengthen the region and establish sustainable projects through cross-border activities. The main objective of this project is to formulate recommendations for a transnational innovation strategy in the productive sector and to create the conditions for an innovative Centre on the Vienna and Bratislava sites. The Twin City Future Innovation Manufacturing Hub (2C FIMH) will work in close cooperation with partners for more than two years to manage the conceptualisation, development, implementation and evaluation of the innovative pilot activities. With an emphasis on the targeted transfer of innovative solutions for corporate education, support and development of start-ups as well as SMEs. It will also seek to intensify cooperation between universities, manufacturing companies and the community of creators and start-up entrepreneurs. To achieve effective and sustainable results, we have adopted a quadruple helix approach as a systematic basis. This approach emphasizes collaboration between companies, public organisations, universities and civil society. At the same time, expert groups will comprehensively accompany these activities.
