Pilot Project of Baden-Württemberg in EU Strategy for Danube Region

The overall objective of the Danubian Initiative for Innovation and Technology Transfer was to foster the competitiveness of the industry in Danube Region by supporting innovation and technology transfer, as well as to coordinate and create synergies and links between existing technology transfer activities in EUSDR.

The different types of activities were gathered in the frame of dedicated technology transfer centers (Danube Technology Transfer Centers – DTC). Those DTC are set-up at Universities of Cluj-Napoca (Romania) and Nitra (Slovakia).

Management and implementation by Steinbeis Europe Center and Steinbeis Danube Center in 2012-2014. Project duration 18 months. Funding was given by Baden-Württemberg’s Ministry of State.

Main activities and services provided by SDC:

  • elaborating business plans for DTC in Bratislava, Nitra and Cluj-Napoca
  • training experts of involved universities and stakeholders in regard of innovation (strategies and management), technology transfer (strategic partnerships and management)
  • coaching management of DTC in marketing and business development

The successful implemented pilot project became basis for further actions and plans to strengthen competitiveness in Danube Region. The concept of DTC is developed in an open way towards building a transnational network of DTCs.

To be known: DTC are different from Steinbeis Transfer Centers.

  • Steinbeis in Germany is based on an independent legal entity while DTC are legal dependent from the hosting universities.
  • Technology transfer can be understood as a business. Professors at university use the Steinbeis model as opportunity to develop personal business additionally to their work at university. This motivation is the main reason for  the success of Steinbeis-Network.

Therefore our Steinbeis Danube Center is promoting and preferring the establishment of Transfer Centers that are closer in line with the original model of Steinbeis Network, e.g. those in Romania and Ukraine.