DanuBalt: Danube area and ScanBalt BioRegion join forces to bridge the divide in EU health research and innovation through EC support

The EU Commission has selected the H2020 project “Danubalt: Novel Approaches in Tackling the Health Innovation and Research Divide in the Danube and Baltic Sea Region” for future funding.

DanuBalt aims to reduce the diversity in the EU member states within health research and innovation. DanuBalt intends to improve the innovation capacity of the two macro regions, increase participation and promote efficient exploitation of synergies.

DanuBalt will:

– analyse the mechanisms hindering the efficient exploitation of EU and regional instruments in the Baltic Sea and Danube macro regions

– identify health niche markets and the two regions potentials in line with smart specialization strategies

– identify common patterns and individual differences within the regions in order to suggest recommendations and develop action plans

– develop transnational pilot activities to increase investments in health research and innovation projects

– offer a platform for both macro regions for best practice exchange, peer learning, opportunity exploitation and external communication

An important outcome is predicted to be improved investments in regional health systems by more efficient and better coordinated use of structural funds in combination with H2020.

Hicham Abghay, Steinbeis Innovation GmbH, coordinator of the project says “We are happy that the EU Commission has selected the DanuBalt consortium as we believe there is a significant potential in closer collaboration between the two macro-regions within health research and innovation leading to more efficient use of EU funds”.

Peter Frank, General Secretary of ScanBalt® fmba adds “Macro-regional concepts strengthen their importance for EU research and innovation policies and this is another step in the right direction. For ScanBalt BioRegion it is a key objective to interact closely with the Danube area and we are looking forward to a fruitful collaboration”.

Partners in DanuBalt are Steinbeis Innovation GmbH (GE), Steinbeis Team Northeast (GE), ScanBalt® fmba (DK), Health ClusterNet (UK), FM management Consultancy (RO), Bay Zoltán (HU), Fakultni Nemocnice u SV Anny v Brne (CZ).

The project has a total budget of 499.873 EUR.

For further information please contact: Senior project manager and DanuBalt coordinator Hicham Abghay, e-mail ; Tel: +49 711 123 40-22.