Improving COmpetences and skills through Food sector InNovations

COMMON CHALLENGE: Main problem is related to innovation capacity in remote areas. In SI, HU, PL & SK those areas are facing declining employment opportunities in traditional industries as a result of structural change. This emphasizes the need to take steps to stimulate economic activity with employment generating potential for regions are facing difficulties in maintaining a critical mass of facilities to support economic development. Analysis show that food sector together with other value chain related sectors represent one of the most important, potential field to leverage improvement of socio-economic situation in remote areas. Main objective: Improving entrepreneurial competences and skills in remote areas through food innovation potentials. Outputs:1) Joint transnational food mentor scheme;2) Food crowd design platform usability. Approach: Project consists of 10 carefully selected competent partners who are according to the role in the project divided into 3 groups. Knowledge partners covering areas of mechatronics, food safety and packing design; regional partners whose role is implementation of actions on a regional level and lead partner whose role is related to be engaged in all main areas of intervention together with WP coordinators. Innovative character: (1) mentor scheme: integrated cross-sectoral experts approach (mechatronics, biotech & design), mobility of transnational pool of experts coming from different EU regions, focus oriented program to food related SMEs, sustainable business model; no similar scheme existing. (2) Crowd design platform usability: unlocking food legislation restrictions, focus on food design packing and branding, open creativity, cheaper results, worldwide involvement & risk free. Transnational added value: international pool of mobile experts, transnational partner network helping local SMEs to enter bigger market – better conditions for business expand-positive impacts on employment-braindrain stopped-tendencies to immigration.

The main objective is improving entrepreneurial competences and skills in remote areas through food innovation potentials. Food sector together with other value chain related cross-sectors represent the most potential field to leverage improvement of socio - economic situation in remote regions having deficiencies in their innovation system as result of structural change.

While SMEs are facing shortage of skilled labour force in relation to requirements posed by technological progress and economic innovation, project is oriented on results to improve technological competences and management skills within food related SMEs. The I-CON partners want to tackle these challenges by following an interdisciplinary approach with engagement of “knowledge partners” representing sectors of mechatronics (novel technologies), biotech (food safety & quality), design (packaging) and “regional partners” responsible to facilitate improvement of technological competences on a regional level. With implementation-oriented approach we want to boost impacts of the project by addressing the challenge of multi-sectoral and transnational involvement of competent partners. In particular, project will play an active part in achievement of the following objectives: increasing skills of food related SMEs regarding novel technologies, methods and services and contributing to regional smart specialisation strategies; developing and implementing system and tools to improve SMEs competences and creativity.

Main result: Improved competences and skills of SMEs, entrepreneurs and employees driving food sector innovations in Central European regions. Within the project the following result indicators will be achieved: Tools: 8 tools elaborated 1 ATLAS mapping tool (a map of food technology, food design, food safety providers), 1 Handbook tool (good practice case studies presented), 3 SME assessment tools (fields: novel technologies, food safety & quality, packaging design optimization process), 3 transferability guidelines (managing innovation – technology, safety, design). Trainings: 2 types of trainings 1 exchange of knowledge training between the partners in order to improve partner’s capacity to be involved in the region as facilitators; 5 regional exchange workshops where regional SMEs will be involved into the training program. Action plans: 2 common action plans. 1 Common transnational food mentor scheme, 1 Common food packaging design crowdsourcing platform. Pilot actions: 2 common testing pilots 1 testing scheme: in 5 pilot regions, 50 SMEs assessed, 15 pilot actions, 3 topics (novel technologies, safety, design); 1 testing platform: min 200 users involved (designers and food SMEs), min 20 product result solutions provided. Within the project new employments and investments will be demonstrated as indirect results of the project. In addition the project will trigger activities outside the project partner regions by various dissemination activities.

Acronym/Short title: I-CON
Short description: Hungary, Slovenia, Poland and Slovakia are facing declining employment opportunities in traditional industries as a result of structural change. This emphasises the need to take steps to stimulate economic activity with employment generating potential in regions that are facing difficulties in maintaining a critical mass of facilities to support economic development. Analysis show that the food sector together with other value-chain related sectors represent one of the most important, potential fields to leverage improvement of socio-economic situation in remote areas. I-CON will aim to improve entrepreneurial competences and skills in remote areas through food innovation potentials. Outputs of the project will be a joint transnational food mentor scheme and a food crowd design platform usability.
Reference code: CE393
Founding source: Interreg-Central Europe
Duration: Start: 2016-06-01
End: 2019-05-31
Total budget: EUR 2.216.448,40
Website: http://www.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/I-CON.html
Partners: Pomurje Technology Park (Slovenia), Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (Slovenia), Business Upper Austria (Austria), Campden BRI Hungary Ltd. (Hungary), South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency (Hungary), National Confederation of Crafts and Small and Medium Sized Businesses – CNA Regional Association of Emilia Romagna (Italy), Industry Association Service & Training of Treviso and Pordenone (Italy), Hohenheim University (Germany), Polish Chamber of Food Industry and Packaging (Poland), Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Slovakia)
Client: South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency

Related news

Assistance for food industrial small and medium-sized enterprises

Related projects

RETINA

In South-East Europe Brownfields pose a challenge. Through investments, brownfields in the SEE region could be transformed into motors of job creation, representing an underexplored economic value for the area.

RECULTIVATUR

The main aim of RECULTIVATUR was to use the cultural religious tangible and intangible heritage values within the territories, jointly with local assets, human resources, infrastructures and services, to develop religious tourism opportunities to contribute to the their social and economic growth.

HU-HR DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY

The overall objectives of the project are to facilitate that well-educated young people finding work and their living in order to come back to their homeland and to contribute to the increasing of competitiveness and attractiveness of the border region.

Cross Marketing Across Borders

The main objective of the project is to enable local festival and event organisers to broaden their marketing activities, thus attracting more guests; to establish economically and culturally fruitful co-operations across the borders; to create a “festival image” for the Programme area.

RuralE.Evolution

The main purpose of RuralE.Evolution is to design an effective methodology for a successful application of PPP scheme to Agro-energy districts. The project assumes that Agro-energy districts represent a useful model for the achievement of important energetic and environmental goals in Europe.

RTPP HU-HR

The „Regional Tourism Product Plan” project aims to lay out a clear strategy upon which the touristic and cultural development projects will be able to be based and financed in the framework of the present Programme.

OFF TO SPAS

The main idea of the project is to create new, thermal water related international health tourism products (international balneology products) in Central European spa towns. They could serve as main attractions in order to bring seniors to these regions in the low tourism seasons.

Catholic temple of Újudvar

The aim of the project was the renewal of the catholic church in Újudvar village

Old monastery of Homokkomárom

The aim of the project was the restoration of the old monastery building of Homokkomárom.

Sarlós Boldogasszony Presbytery

The aim of the project is to replace the old roof of the community center of the Sarlós Boldogasszony (Canonical Visitation) Presbytery.

Saint Rita Catholic Youth Camp

The aim of the project was to organise a catholic youth camp in order to provide the opportunity of taking part in a rich summer programme series in the nature offering informative, sports and religious programs, as well as playing games.

Retreat Programmes of Újudvar

The aim of the project is to organise catholic retreats for the active members of the diocese.

Prayer Camp

The aim of the project was to organise a catholic youth camp in order to enhance the importance of religion in the life of the youth. The summer programme series were implemented in 3 different places, each organised for different age groups, offering informative, sports and religious programs, as well as playing games.

I-CON

Hungary, Slovenia, Poland and Slovakia are facing declining employment opportunities in traditional industries as a result of structural change. This emphasises the need to take steps to stimulate economic activity with employment generating potential in regions that are facing difficulties in maintaining a critical mass of facilities to support economic development. Analysis show that the food sector together with other value-chain related sectors represent one of the most important, potential fields to leverage improvement of socio-economic situation in remote areas. I-CON will aim to improve entrepreneurial competences and skills in remote areas through food innovation potentials. Outputs of the project will be a joint transnational food mentor scheme and a food crowd design platform usability.

MOVECO

The current (Linear) Economy is: Produce-use-dispose. The future belongs to the Circular Economy: produce-use-recycle or reuse. The new EC Circular Economy Strategy aims a "closing the loop" of product lifecycles through greater recycling and re-use, to bring benefits for society, environment and economy. So far 8 legislative proposals on waste have been adopted. Closing the loop of materials streams poses many challenges to research and innovation: increasing durability, reparability & recyclability of products (Extended Producer Responsibility), improving waste management and resource efficiency in industrial sectors, fostering industrial symbiosis and remanufacturing. MOVECO responds to this challenge and sets its objective to improve the framework conditions and policy instruments for eco innovation and the transition to a Circular Economy, fostering smart and sustainable growth and reducing disparities among the regions in the Danube Region.

CULTURE AND SPAS

Our project Culture and Spas, funded by Seed Money Facility of Danube Transnational Programme, supports the preparation of a complex strategic transnational project that will foster sustainable use of cultural heritage in the vicinity of spas and wellness centres in Danube Region. Culture and Spas promotes spa and wellness tourism, short-stay weekend tourism and recreation, as well as longer stays in the Region. It supports the improvement of the quality of tourism products and builds on cultural diversity as strength of the Danube Region.