Nord-Est (RO)

Presentation of the Region

North-East Region is the largest development region of Romania in terms of population and area, with a clear objective to increase economic competitiveness and improve the living conditions of local and regional communities through sustainable development, so they can effectively manage their resources and exploit their potential for innovation and uptake technological progress.

Benefiting from a rich historical, cultural and spiritual heritage, the region harmoniously combines tradition with modernity and the past with the present, having a huge potential for development in what regards business environment, research and education, infrastructure and services, and human resources.

The region benefits from the activity of 11 clusters with quadruple helix representation (companies, education, R&D, local public administration, and civil society), in areas with potential for development and innovation. There is also a significant number of companies, especially SMEs, in region’s priority areas for smart specialisation, whose initiatives must be further supported, as they foster the creation of cross-sectoral links and knowledge outsourcing. North-East Romania has several business support structures (8 industrial parks, 1 scientific park, business centers, business incubators) aimed at attracting investments in industry and services that generate high added value, as well as capitalising on the potential of local human resources.

RIS3 Priorities

The Strategy of Research and Innovation for Smart Specialization of North-East Romania (RIS3 North-East) relies on the process of entrepreneurial discovery, through which priorities of investment for innovation are identified and creative solutions are developed, combining assets and fostering collaboration among various types of entities. This process revolves around companies that can identify new business and market opportunities, develop new products, services and processes in areas with high innovation potential. Moving along this line, seven sectors with significant competitive potential have been identified in the region, with a critical mass of solid enterprises whose achievements can be further maximized by means of innovation. Thus, agri-food & wood industry, textiles, environment, energy, IT&C, health, and tourism can be considered key sectors for a sustainable development through smart specialization in North-East Romania.

RIS3 North-East intervenes in the following directions:
1. Development of innovation skills and competences;
2. Supporting the creation of new innovative companies, the growth of active enterprises, and the digitalization of public administration;
3. Developing the regional R&D capacity and promoting collaboration between knowledge organisations and industry;
4. Support clustering and internationalization initiatives;
5. Develop administrative capacity and technical assistance for innovation support.