SIC International Cooperation
The Twinning projects refers to the transfer of knowledge of best practice to SIC from organisations located around Europe and the world. To establish a Twinning program, we look for partners that have accumulated a particular experience in designing, implementing and delivering unique innovation instrument targeting SMEs, research organisations, municipalities and schools. Activities like on-site or virtual trainings, expert visits, dissemination and outreach are supported by the programs Smart Accelerator I in Central Bohemia, Smart Accelerator II in Central Bohemia, and Smart Accelerator + in Central Bohemia. Funded by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the Central Bohemia Region.
The cooperation with the following partners has been carried out through Twinning projects.
Ecoplus. The Business Agency of Lower Austria
The project: Competence Mapping
The twinning was in the area of cross-clustering. Ecoplus developed the best practice called Competence Mapping, which aims to stimulate the cooperation across sectors and clusters by focusing on the technical and organizational competences of SMEs and research organisations. The cooperation took place in September 2016 and it was funded by Smart Accelerator I in Central Bohemia. The final report of the twinning (Manual of Implementation) is available only in Czech.
Source: Ecoplus, screenshot
Source: Twinning SIC – Ecoplus
State Secretary of Innovation, Science and Technology of Jalisco, Mexico
The project: Maker Education The twinning was in the area of digital education. The State Secretary of Innovation, Science and Technology of Jalisco together with the University of Guadalajara developed a network of Digital Innovation Lab implemented at High School level promoting 21st century skills in teachers and students using Maker Education and Gradual Immersion Method (GIM). The twinning took place in April 2018 and several activities derived from this Twinning. Between November 2019 and January 2021, SIC implemented a pilot project in a Technical High School of(or in?) Central Bohemia, certified high school teachers in Maker Fundamentals, accredited the used maker method with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and carried out a SIC Online Ideathon using the maker approach and GIM with teachers and researchers. To see the successful results of these activities, please visit Maker Culture in Education in Central Bohemia. The twinning and derived activities were funded by Smart Accelerator I in Central Bohemia. The final report of the twinning (Manual of Implementation) is available only in Czech.
Spin Lab Accelerator, Leipzig
The project: Smart Infrastructure Hub The twinning was in the area of digital innovation hubs. The best practice developed by this partner was the use of their Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) established between the accelerator Spin Lab and the City of Leipzig for the digital transformation of SMEs using the startup ecosystem. The cooperation took place in November 2019 and it was funded by Smart Accelerator II in Central Bohemia. The final report of the twinning (Manual of Implementation) is available only in English.
Lulea University of Technology (LTU) Business, Sweden
The project:Innovation Due Diligence (IDD)
The twinning was in the area of commercialisation of innovative ideas. LTU Business developed a holistic model which accelerates time to market and reduce costs for bringing an innovation to the market for SMEs and research organisations called IDD. Derived from this training, SIC created a special service for research organisations called Validation of Commercial Potential. The cooperation took place in between April and November 2021 and it was funded by Smart Accelerator II in Central Bohemia. The final report of the twinning is available upon request.
KOMPASS Frankfurt
The project: 4+1 Model The twinning was in the area of support for startups. KOMPASS developed a process-oriented framework tracing the lifecycle of a startup – from idea inception to startup to sustained existence and growth in the market named 4+1 Model. Certain elements of this model were incorporated in the SIC program Start-up Now! The cooperation took place in September 2022 and it was funded by Smart Accelerator II in Central Bohemia. The final report of the twinning is available upon request.
CAPREX (Capital Regions Exchange) Network
This is an initiative started by Central Bohemia Region and Lower Austria in October 2018. The aim of this network is to facilitate exchange on structural similarities and differences of the participating regions and in particular, the challenges for economic policy and innovation strategy that arise in the capital regions of Brandenburg (Germany), Central Bohemia Region (Czech Republic), Helsinki-Uusimaa (Finland), and Lower Austria (Austria). All these regions have the structural similarity of having their capital city in their natural territory. This network represents an opportunity for peer learning, for such purpose CAPREX regions meet annually to share and discuss the different approaches implemented in specific topics/sectors related to innovation. The meetings have two levels of cooperation at operative level and expert level. The operative level is formed by the following organisations: Central Bohemian Innovation Center (SIC); the Economic Development Agency of Brandenburg (WFBB); Ecoplus. The Business Agency of Lower Austria, and the Development and Planning Office of Helsinki-Uusimaa. Ultimately, CAPREX wants to become a facilitator for potential projects for the regional stakeholders (companies, research organizations, etc.). Some of the topics that have been discussed for cooperation are: Innovation policies (RIS3 strategies), digitalization and energy, innovation marketing, innovation in food sector, circular economy in three sectors: food, textiles and construction, and sustainable construction, sustainable packaging and renewable materials.
