ORSA II follows up the Olomouc Region Smart Accelerator (ORSA) project implemented in 2016–2018. The project aims at supporting the development of the innovation environment in the Olomouc Region with the use of the National Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation of the Czech Republic (hereinafter the “National RIS3 Strategy”) and the Regional Annex to the National RIS3 Strategy for the Olomouc Region (hereinafter the “RIS3 Strategy of the Olomouc Region”).
As part of this project, we organise various workshops, round tables, matchmaking events, webinars, and we participate as partners in the Podnikavá hlava (Enterprising Mind) competition, the regional round of the Soutěž a podnikej (Compete and Do Business) competition, innovation forums, etc. We are also part of the regional innovation platforms.
ORSA II also includes the NašlápnuTO platform for aspiring entrepreneurs and IN-HUB Přerov.
Project objective
The project focuses on the building and development of capacities, organisational structures, and expertise for the development of research, development and innovation (“R&D+I”) and for the management of the entrepreneurial discovery process in the Olomouc Region, based on the development of cooperation between key partners and other actors of the region’s innovation environment. Cooperation of the corporate sector (application sector), research (and educational) institutions and the public sector is crucial.
Project activities
Project activities will be implemented with the overall goal of strengthening the economic development and competitiveness of the Olomouc Region towards a knowledge-based economy; i.e., an economy that utilises knowledge and innovations as a basis for economic growth and competitiveness.
The project addresses themes like the support for the development of research in the region; practical use of its results; technology transfers; cooperation of research institutions and companies (application sector) in the region; identification and build-up of the domains of specialisation through intelligent use and development of specialisations that combine economic specialisation of the region with the knowledge-based specialisation; support for measures that contribute to increasing the competitiveness of the Olomouc Region based on the increase of innovation performance and activities of the companies in the region; support for the entrepreneurial discovery and business enterprise in the region; development of human resources for innovations in the region aiming at securing available and qualified workforce for innovations, etc.
In accordance with actions plans of the RIS3 Strategy of the Olomouc Region, events will be implemented to support the development of the innovation environment in the region, and cooperation will be pursued with the National RIS3 manager and other relevant institutions including other Czech regions.
Support for the development of strategic projects topically complying with the RIS3 Strategy of the Olomouc Region will be an important part of this. Project activities will also include mapping and analytical activities that will describe and assess the innovation environment in the region and will map and analyse themes significant for the support of the development of the innovation environment / implementation of the RIS3 Strategy in the region.
Project activities will also include the development of competence of the RIS3 team members and key partners in the region – they will receive education and develop their competence in themes relating to the development in the innovation environment / RIS3. The project will also involve promotion of innovations/RIS3 in and outside the region, especially in accordance with the strategy in this area, which will be updated as part of the project.
Purpose of the project
The purpose of the project is implementation of the RIS3 Strategy in the territory of the Olomouc Region, meaning that the RIS3 team:
- monitors the projects of the innovation environment actors that comply with the RIS3 Strategy of the Olomouc Region;
- analyses the innovation environment in the region, maps its needs, and uses them in the development of the innovation environment in the region;
- gets to know the region in detail, as well as its competitive advantages in the individual domains of specialisation;
- assists in the preparation of strategic projects and implements selected own activities that comply with the RIS3 Strategy of the Olomouc Region;
- ensures functional operation of the implementation structure for RIS3 in the Olomouc Region (Regional Innovation Council, innovation platforms, RIS3 Strategy Action Plans in the region), interconnects the innovation environment actors in the region, increases its competence and the competence of key partners in the region, promotes on-going and successfully implemented projects/activities that comply with the RIS3 Strategy of the Olomouc Region, helps comply with the Basic RIS3 Conditions for the 2021–2027 Programming Period which the Olomouc Region will be required to fulfil; and
- ensures connection with international activities in the area of RIS3 (e.g., S3 Platform).