RIS4Danu aims to develop business plans for reopening 21 disused industrial sites in the Danube Macro-Region, spanning from the Black Forest to the Black Sea. The project focuses on applying an evidence-based Smart Specialisation (S3) approach to drive place-based innovation for green/digital and inclusive transitions along the Danube River. Aligned with current debates, RIS4Danu integrates smart specialisation with considerations of socio-ecological challenges, such as climate change and social inequality, under the framework of Smart Specialisation Strategies for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth.
The project contends that reopening old industrial sites holds the potential to build transformative resilience in less-favored Danube regions. These sites are positioned as innovation anchors, presenting opportunities for the entire region to strengthen its capacity in developing innovative solutions for region-specific ecological, social, and economic challenges. Project activities also include cross-regional peer exchange and knowledge transfer along the Danube River.
VDI/VDE-IT coordinates the project.
