New Perspectives for Digital Transformation: Study Visit to Croatia Reveals Good Practices for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

29.05.2023. godine

With the support of the project “Innovation and Digitalisation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Bosnia and Herzegovina/EU4DigitalSME,” co-financed by the European Union and the Federal Republic of Germany (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, a study visit was organized on the topic of supporting the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises. Representatives of digital innovation hubs (DIHs), government institutions, development agencies, and associations from Bosnia and Herzegovina visited Croatia from 15 to 17 May 2023 to exchange experiences and examine good practices.

As part of this visit, prepared by experts from the consulting firm Luvent Consulting GmbH to facilitate the exchange of experiences between Croatian and Bosnian business support institutions, the delegation visited the following on the first day:

• BICRO BIOcentre, a unique incubator designed to encourage the development of biotechnology in Croatia,

• ZICER – Zagreb Innovation Centre, one of the oldest entrepreneurial centres in the region, including the Plavi ured centre, which provides training, advisory services, co-financing opportunities, and networking for entrepreneurs across Croatia.

  
  

“Learning from good practices in the region is the first step towards improving the innovation ecosystem in BiH. During this study visit, we had the opportunity to meet various stakeholders—innovation centres, incubators, development agencies, and companies—and to understand their development paths, which lie ahead of us in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For Bit Alliance, as an association of leading IT companies in BiH, one of the strategic goals is the digitalisation of society, and in that context, the experiences gained through this visit are extremely valuable and useful,” highlighted Kristina Erak, Operations Manager at Bit Alliance.

On the second day, the delegation—composed of representatives of the three DIHs supported through the “Innovation and Digitalisation of SMEs in BiH/EU4DigitalSME” project (DIH “IDEMO” from Banja Luka, and DIHs “Digital Storm” and “its4Health” from Sarajevo), the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry of the Federation of BiH, the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH, the Chamber of Economy of the Federation of BiH, the ZEDA Development Agency from Zenica, and the association of leading IT companies in BiH (Bit Alliance)—visited:

• The Technology-Innovation Centre Međimurje (TICM) in Čakovec, one of the most advanced and best-equipped centres for the metal industry in Croatia, including its Development and Education Centre for the Metal Industry – Metalska jezgra.

  
  

“DIH Digital Storm participated in the study visit with three representatives. During the visit, the team familiarised itself with the Croatian innovation ecosystem and, through meetings with representatives of technology-innovation companies, innovation centres, and incubators, gained important insights into the structure and setup of organisations that have implemented numerous projects funded by EU pre-accession funds, as well as their transition to the EU market as full member states.Expanding the new partner network and strengthening the existing one is one of the most valuable results of this well-organised visit,” noted Mirza Suljagić from the Digital Storm hub.

At the end of the study tour, participants also visited Sobočan d.o.o., a company producing high-quality retail and office furniture, which has successfully integrated the entire value chain—from idea and design, through production, to delivery and after-sales support.

Through these visits, the Bosnian delegation strengthened its capacities, and following the study visit, the transfer of findings through concrete agreed activities is planned, as reflected in the impressions of the participants.

“Thanks to this visit, we were able to gain new knowledge and adopt best practices through concrete examples of structure, organisation, and operational models of innovation centres, as well as successful companies in the region. Upon return, we will transfer the acquired knowledge to companies we work with, as well as to colleagues at the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH,” emphasized Boris Marković, representative of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Senad Pašalić, representative of the ZEDA Development Agency in Zenica, stated that participants “had the opportunity to compare what similar organisations in the region—in this case Croatia—offer to both aspiring and existing entrepreneurs in terms of support and development of their ideas or businesses. The practices we already apply were reaffirmed, and certain details can be used to further improve services for SMEs.”

New technological development requires the introduction of digitalisation and innovation as key prerequisites for better competitiveness and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. On this path of transformation, SMEs in BiH need all possible support from business support institutions. The “Innovation and Digitalisation of SMEs in BiH/EU4DigitalSME” project will continue to organize study visits, with another such visit planned for early 2024.

Source: eu4digitalsme.ba