Creation of a Cluster Center for Smart Urban Technologies
The Cluster Sofia Knowledge City envisages the creation of a “Cluster Center for Smart Urban Technologies”. A shared R&D infrastructure will be built for the development, testing, integration and implementation of technologies in the field of IoT, Industry 4.0 and Digital Transformation.
The initiative is motivated by the concept of a New European Bauhaus and supports the cluster’s goal of creating investment conditions for the benefit of cluster members and the city’s innovation ecosystem. The initiative will be implemented in cooperation with с National Center of Excellence Mechatronics and Clean Technologies.
A project has been developed to implement this initiative. The following activities are planned under the project:
- Supply of equipment to create shared R&D infrastructure and know-how;
- Strengthening the innovation and research potential of the cluster and creating new collaborations;
- Connecting with other clusters and regional innovation organizations such as digital and innovation hubs, the business support network.
One of the possibilities for financing this initiative is to receive a grant under the Procedure "Support for the development of existing innovation clusters" under the Program "Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Smart Transformation" 2021-2027, for which a project proposal has been submitted. Under this line, upon approval of the project proposal, the cluster will receive funding of up to 55% of the investment amount, and the remaining funds will be provided by stakeholders - members of the cluster, who will use the R&D infrastructure.
Full or partial financing of the project can also be provided through the use of the mechanism of iNNObizACADEMIA (cluster member) - innovative cluster platform for investors (StarUp, located in Technopark Vaduz, Liechtenstein).
