DIH PANNONIA

Overview

DIH PANNONIA, located in Vinkovci, Croatia, is a digitalisation promotion centre. It operates as the centre for digital transformation of entrepreneurship and food processing sector, while VSC DA holds the role of activity coordinator. DIH PANNONIA is an instrument of support to economic entities, emphasising on food processing sector, with the purpose of competitiveness improvement by developing their business and production processes using the implementation of digitalisation and creation of new products and services. DIH PANNONIA services will enable digitalisation and introduction of Industry 4.0 into economic entities with an emphasis on agriculture and food industry. DIH PANNONIA users are scientific research centres, public institutions and economic entities in the Slavonia, Baranja, and Srijem area.

DIH PANNONIA’s mission is to push the boundaries of innovation-based development and to contribute to digitalisation according to the principles, priorities and realisations of goals set out in the EU Declaration of cooperation on ‘A smart and sustainable digital future for European agriculture and rural areas’, the Digital Agenda for Europe, the European Digital Strategy, the National Reform Programme and the 2030 National Development Strategy.

Digital technologies are able to increase the efficiency of economic entities and improve production, as well as contribute to improving systems’ sustainability from an economic, social and environmental standpoint. Such technologies are able to improve all types of production, allow better decision-making and reshape the functioning of the market. Increased use of digital technologies is going to have a positive impact on the quality of working conditions, business efficiency and the economy as a whole. 

DIH PANNONIA’s task is the promotion of digital transformation and provision of services for the increase of the application of digital technologies in the real, public, and science research areas, as well as in all sectors, with an emphasis on food processing sector.

DIH PANNONIA gives opportunity for easier propelling of strategic partnerships, better cross-border cooperation for various projects, start-up companies, micro-enterprises and SMEs, which deal with digital technologies. Simultaneously, it connects business entities from different industries with interest in using and implementation of newly created innovative solutions.

DIH PANNONIA will provide services/activities of:

-   Promotion of digitalisation and technology and knowledge transfer,

-  Organisation of training and guidance for the digital skills development of economic entities,  public sector, students and family farms, with the access to the professional knowledge of universities and other consortium partners,

- Education and skill development provision, needed for a successful digital transformation,

- Support to economic entities, public administration and other users in improving business models by using new technologies,

-   Networking and connecting providers and users in the digital transformation line at the national     and international level,

- Providing access to product testing and experimentation infrastructure,

-  Advisory services in accessing financial means and the use of financial mechanisms,

-  Preparation and implementation of development projects for users,

- Support for the development of innovative ecosystems and networking opportunities.

Through the services of consortium, DIH PANNONIA will provide entrepreneurs with:

Access to technology for prototyping production,
Advanced research equipment and laboratories for the development of high-tech digitalised solutions
Digitalisation and technology transfer educations

DIH PANNONIA will operate through a strong consortium members partnership, of which every member will provide a certain level of specialized services with a joint goal of opening new job positions and strengthening the economy of Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem.

DIH PANNONIA consortium includes 15 partners, whose vision is focused on connecting relevant stakeholders in an efficient business support system in order to become more efficient by way of developing smart skills, creating new innovations, thus becoming more competitive in their line of work as well. Carefully designed consortium, consisting of two universities specializing in technology transfer and business development, and 4 faculties, the Rectorate of the University in Osijek, five public regional coordinator institutions from Slavonija, Baranja and Srijem, entrepreneurs, eminent ICT associations of the civil sector, provides interdisciplinary and systematic support to entrepreneurs in the Vukovar-Srijem County and beyond. The partnership of scientific and research higher education institutions in agrobiotechnical, technology and primarily food technical field will ensure the expertise transfer and enable access to innovative technologies for new product experimentation, development and testing in all sectors of economic development in the easternmost part of Croatia. The consortium’s scientific research sector will also deal with the knowledge transfer related to the development of digital skills. Experts within the consortium will provide systematic and interdisciplinary support tailored to the profile and needs of every individual entrepreneur. This support will strengthen innovation capacity and create added value.

All 5 development agencies in the region will provide advisory services for finance access and use of financial mechanisms for specific innovation needs in the region and each county, through their role of entrepreneurial support institution. Moreover, they will implement advisory services regarding business and other management, as well as, technical and consulting assistance in the implementation of programs and projects, educational activities for the project preparation and implementation, informational and educational activities (workshops, seminars, round tables, info days).

The role of entrepreneurs with implemented Industry 4.0 and within the consortium is very important as it serves as an example of good practice and support provider to entrepreneurs/clients through a direct practical example of the results of digital transformation and providing consulting services in achieving business growth by way of digitalisation.

Non-profit associations are link to the civil sector. They operate within the consortium and in the field of promoting digitalisation and technical sciences, software development, encouraging entrepreneurship in the IT sector, increasing the attractiveness of the development profession, increasing developers’ competitiveness in the market, legal entities’ networking and gathering of natural persons interested in IT sector strengthening and development on the territory of the Republic of Croatia and abroad if necessary, solving professional tasks and organising professional and scientific lectures and conferences in the electrical engineering, computing and information technologies field.

In addition to this fact, the consortium is open for the admission of new partners, as well as cooperation with other DIH consortia within or outside of Croatia and international networks.

It will operate as a One-stop-shop and offer comprehensive and complete support and concrete solutions to companies for introduction of digitalisation into their business processes, product and service development, sales and distribution in order to implement Industry 4.0 principles.

DIH PANNONIA operates in close cooperation with the start-up incubator within the Regional Center for Digitization and Development, since the incubator is one of the components of the Regional Center, as is DIH PANNONIA itself. The start-up incubator is connected with the activities of DIH PANNONIA, through which it will provide start-up companies with the necessary professional support and specialized infrastructure in the digitalization process.

DIH PANNONIA will operate in association with consortium, of which every member will provide a certain level of specialised services.

In association with the members of consortium, the users are going to be provided with intersectoral cooperation of institutions in the field of economy, with an emphasis on food industry.

By means of DIH PANNONIA, Vukovar-Srijem County Development Agency (VSC DA) will play an active role in providing advisory services regarding the access and use of financial mechanisms intended for specific innovation needs of the region, and will strengthen financing realisation activities with advisory services for business growth by digitalisation and support in implementing Industry 4.0 into production processes in the economy.

The coordinator of DIH PANNONIA is VSC DA, which operates as a public institution, established by the Vukovar-Srijem County with the aim of successful coordination and incentivisation of regional development of the County, and an entrepreneurial support institution.  DA VSC, as a member of the BOND network and entrepreneurial support institution, through its activities has achieved long-term cooperation with entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial support institutions, universities, local and regional self-government units and government agencies throughout Croatia, and has a representative in the Thematic Innovation Council for Food and Bioeconomy, which operates within the Croatian Chamber of Commerce. Thanks to this, DIH will expand its activities at the national level to the field of bioeconomy.

The workings of consortium members will allow users intersectoral cooperation of institutions in the economy field. The emphasis will be on the food industry with numerous connections to activities, projects and cooperation: