Circular Innovation Hub (CI -Hub) project

DIH ONEX has successfully started the implementation of the EU Interreg Danube
project Circular Innovation Hub (CI-Hub).
The general goal of the project is to improve innovative capacities in less-developed
regions by using the advantages of the circular economy.
The project focuses on less-developed regions of the Western Balkans, which are
characterized by small amounts allocated for research and development, a lower level
of patent applications, as well as a lower level of use of ICT technologies in the company
operations.
The project is based on the model of transferring user experience in supply chains in the
context of Industry 4.0. Through the planned activities, the intention is to create new
value based on the principles of the circular economy (reducing, reusing and recycling
resources) with a focus on two sectors: plastic and metal processing and construction.
The specific goal of the project is to develop a set of instruments to support companies
in the process of implementing the principles of circular economy. Project activities also
refer to the development of new tools for the improvement of circular economy in less
developed regions, as well as the transfer of knowledge from developed to less
developed regions of the Danube region in the field of circular economy.
This is an opportunity for domestic companies to integrate the principles of the circular
and green economy into their operations.
In a circular economy, products are designed to optimize their utility and life cycle,
promote reuse, improve collection and invest in infrastructure to develop markets for
recycled materials that are then reused to create optimized products.
It is also planned to create an acceleration program in this area at the transnational
level, which will be the first program of its kind developed in the EU.
The project envisions the establishment of a training center that will focus on the
transfer of knowledge from the innovative regions of Germany and Austria to other less
developed regions of the Danube region.
11 countries of the Danube macro-region participate in the project and one partner from
each country.
The Ministry of Economy and Entrepreneurship of the Republic of Srpska is a strategic
partner in the project, while the project implementer is the Digital Innovation Hub ONEX.