Transylvania Regional Innovation Valley

The Regional Innovation Valley (RIV) concept represents a strategic approach to stimulate innovation-based economic development at the regional level. Transilvania Regional Innovation Valley is a desire of the regional innovation ecosystem to initiate an experiment and learning space on the territory of Transylvania, which will prioritize innovation as an engine of sustainable development, in accordance with the requirements and obligations of the Double European Transition.

The concept of the Regional Innovation Valley

At the European level

This concept within the innovation policy of the European Union, launched in 2022 through the European Agenda for Innovation NO, represents a strategic approach to stimulate innovation-based economic development at the regional level. A Regional Innovation Valley is a geographical area or territory that focuses on the creation, development and implementation of innovations in various fields, with the aim of supporting sustainable economic growth and competitiveness at regional and European level.

Locally

The implementation of the Europe Agenda for Innovation and the coagulation of an innovation valley in the Transylvania region represent a significant opportunity for the development of innovation and the innovation ecosystem. With the involvement of Quadruple Helix and our bottom-up approach, we want to help achieve these goals.

Our approach

Importance of test infrastructure

A central policy is supporting the infrastructure for testing innovative projects, essential for the economy of the future.

Rethinking the working model

We focus on avoiding climate pressure by developing testing infrastructure in Eastern Europe.

Creating a new access channel to talent

We promote the connection of European valleys to facilitate the development of synergies and the interconnection of innovation valleys.

Popularizing innovation

We aim for innovation to become an inclusive and accessible space for all citizens and communities in Transylvania.

Building a community of change

We recognize the importance of human connections in innovation and support building a community of passionate change actors.

Redefining knowledge circulation channels

We support the access of young entrepreneurs to the infrastructure created with European resources and propose the alignment of the legislation with the approaches tested in other valleys.

April 11, 2023

The launch of the European Regional Innovation Valley of Transylvania (TRIV) through a participatory process, with the aim of inviting the entire ecosystem to contribute to the definition of the valley's mission and vision.

June 2023

Public ideation and co-design session to define the areas of interest and action of the Transylvania Regional Innovation Valley, for definition and development in working groups. 

October 2023

Completion of the public ideation session through an online process that aims to complete and conclude the first stage of the co-design process. 

November 2023

Physical meeting to close this stage of the process that ends with the definition of the mission and vision of the regional valley.

TRIV 2023 agenda

The co-design process

To define the mission and vision of the Transylvania Regional Innovation Valley, a co-design process was initiated with all relevant stakeholders. This process will also be extended to regional territories beyond Cluj County to create a meaningful space for the future development of investments needed to support Transylvania's knowledge-based and innovation-driven economy.

Other notes on the evolution of the co-design process

The Transylvania Regional Innovation Valley covers the territory associated with the operational area of the North-West Regional Development Agency (Cluj, Bistrița-Năsăud, Sălaj, Maramureș, Bihor, Satu Mare). Stakeholders can connect with its values, mission, and future activities whenever they find it appropriate.

Details about the Transylvania Regional Innovation Valley in 2024:

  • Quadruple Helix Engagement: We have involved the entire Quadruple Helix in the region, including the North-West Regional Development Agency, universities, local authorities, NGOs, and companies, in our process. Over 80 participants have joined, and the working groups formed have gathered more than 15-20 experts from various fields.
  • Defining verticality and horizontality: we have outlined the vertical and horizontal directions of the valley.
  • Interest in the European Commission's call: we have expressed our interest in the European Commission's call for Innovation Regions (RIV).
  • Collaboration with other European Valleys: we have established partnerships with other European Valleys to create interconnected Regional Innovation Valleys.

The place where we innovate for Future

TRIV is our bottom-up endeavor as the response to the challenge of developing a thriving place-based innovation model for the development of the new economy of our region.

Aware and committed to respect our place in the Regional Innovation Valleys European map - TRIV will continue to enlarge towards all the interesed regional stakeholders, wishing to test new aproaches to solve deep societal challenges with the use of Technology and Digital Transformation.

View the live map of Regional Innovation Valleys here.

Learn more about the consortium that TRIV is part of here.

If you have any curiosity, are looking to connect, or simply want to reach out, drop us a message!