Slovenia

Presentation of the Region

Slovenia became an independent country in 1991. As a member of the European Union since May 2004 and of the Eurozone since 2007, Slovenia is an advanced, independent and very open country. Slovenia has a long industrial tradition, highly educated workforce, well-developed infrastructure, and is situated at a major transport crossroad. Slovenia’s export competitiveness attribute to the restructuring of the Slovenian economy towards high-tech products and the markets. Exports accounts for around 75% of the country’s GDP, more than three-quarters of trade was with EU member states. Slovenia’s main exporting partners are Germany, Italy, Croatia, Austria and France while the main exported product groups were motor vehicles, electrical equipment, pharmaceutical products, machinery and equipment and metals.
Knowledge-intensive services lead to manufacturing or technological innovations and sharpen the competitive edge of Slovenia’s manufacturing industries at home and abroad. The flagship industries include: pharmaceuticals and chemicals, electronics and electrical engineering, machine building, wood processing, food processing, textile, life science and hospitality and entertainment.
Favourable business environment makes Slovenia an excellent base for business development and growth, encouraged by high performance education system, which in the final stages allows the inclusion of students in advanced research, business and international projects.

RIS3 Priorities

Slovenian Smart Specialisation Strategy sets out national strategic development priorities and niches that are supported on the ground by a comprehensive, focused and tailored policy mix. By implementing S4, Slovenia has rolled out an entirely new model of development and innovation cooperation between the key stakeholders and has significantly improved its integration in the European and global development and innovation networks, thematic platforms and consortia. S4 has been the driving force behind efforts to strengthen and take Slovenian innovation ecosystem to the next level, and has facilitated clustering and cluster-based economic development via so called Strategic Research and Innovation Partnerships.
Slovenia is currently finalizing the adopition of the rewised Smart Spesialisation Strategy until 2030.
The main priorities of the S5 are:
• Materials as end products
• Mobility
• Health – Medicine:
• Factories of the future
• Sustainable tourism
• Sustainable food production
• Network for transition to circular economy
• Smart buildings and home including wood chain
• Smart cities and communities
• Horizontal ICT network
Essential pillars of the implementation processes of Slovenian Smart Specialisation Strategy are Strategic Research and Innovation Partnerships, known as SRIPs. They are based on a stable and participatory governance structure involving quadruple helix stakeholders across the different levels of government.