Purpose and added value
The purpose of the project is to expand the existing innovation center in Novi Sad into a regional smart manufacturing hub, intended for innovative and technological SMEs, start-ups, research and development centers, technology parks, incubators, support institutions, the academic sphere, students and national experts.
The project makes a significant contribution to:
- increasing industrial competitiveness in the Western Balkans,
- the digital transformation of production, including the introduction of artificial intelligence,
- strengthening sustainable and resilient industrial production,
- increasing the visibility of Slovenia as an important player in the field of Industry 4.0,
- connecting the Slovenian innovation ecosystem with the region and more broadly at the global level.
Key activities and content
In the second phase, the project builds on the foundations already established and focuses on:
- establishing working groups, in which key partners from industry, the academic sphere and institutions participate,
- study visits to European and other partner organizations with the aim of transferring best practices and strengthening access to funding sources,
- organizing regional workshops and conferences that promote knowledge exchange, networking and the development of joint projects,
- developing the SMIC Community digital platform, which connects manufacturing companies in the region and strengthens their cooperation.
In addition, the center is establishing organizational and formal foundations for long-term operation and developing mechanisms to help partners prepare and apply for projects to calls for proposals from the European Commission and other institutions.
Digital platform and regional networking
An important part of the infrastructure is the online platform SMIC Community, which acts as a central digital hub for connecting manufacturing companies, exchanging knowledge and forming joint projects in the Western Balkans region. The platform supports digital cooperation and strengthens the regional innovation network in the long term.
Partners
Numerous Slovenian partners participate in the project, including the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana, the Competence Center for Modern Management Technologies, the Digital Innovation Hub of Slovenia (DIH) and Slovenian companies in the field of digital transformation of industry.
Institutions and partners from the Western Balkans region participate at the international level, including the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, the University of Novi Sad, the University of Belgrade, and partners from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and other countries in the region.
Project goal
The ambition of the SMIC project is to become the leading regional center of Industry 4.0, which acts as a central hub of knowledge, cooperation and technological breakthrough and contributes in the long term to the digital transformation and competitiveness of the industry of the Western Balkans.
