2024: A Year of Success and Innovation at INTERA Technology Park

The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on everything we have achieved at INTERA Technology Park during 2024. We are proud of the numerous accomplishments that have marked this year and inspire us for future projects.

Projects and Events

At the beginning of the year, INTERA TP launched two projects: “Knowhow Communities for Accelerating RTI Transfer in the Danube Region – RTIT>>” and “Enhancing Capacities for Technology Transfer, Company Building, and Innovations in the Field of ICT – CapTTict.” These projects represent a significant step toward strengthening technology transfer capacities and enhancing the innovation potential of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Danube Region. The projects are supported by the Danube Transnational Programme 2021–2027, co-funded by the European Union.

In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and Science, we held a presentation of the Proceedings of Papers resulting from the international scientific conference “Web3 & Blockchain in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” Additionally, in partnership with the Ministry, we organized the Second Scientific and Professional Conference titled “Artificial Intelligence in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Research, Applications, and Development Perspectives,” along with the presentation of the Proceedings derived from this conference.

This year was also marked by the implementation of the project “Boosting Innovation Level of SMEs through Science-Industry Collaboration – BOOST,” funded through the “Innovation and Digitalization of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in BiH/EU4DigitalSME” project, jointly financed by the European Union and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Through this project, an innovation voucher scheme program was created, connecting over 50 companies from Bosnia and Herzegovina with representatives of the academic community to enhance their services and products. The project also supported this year’s edition of the CONNECTO conference, which once again emphasized collaboration between the diaspora and local entrepreneurs, bringing together 200 participants from around the world.

The “Digitalization of SMEs in the Metal Processing Sector – DigiMet” project, also supported under the EU4DigitalSME initiative, was successfully implemented with the goal of enabling and encouraging the use of advanced technologies in small and medium-sized enterprises within the metal sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This summer marked the launch of two new projects, CODES (Cooperation for Development of Cross-Border Business Environment Strengthened) and CBC GAIN (Investing in the Future: Gaming for New Generations CBC GAIN). These initiatives focus on supporting innovation processes, improving business support services, and developing the gaming industry in the cross-border region. The projects are co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg VI-A IPA Program Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro 2021–2027.

The USAID Diaspora Invest project aims to foster collaboration between local communities and the Bosnian diaspora, catalyzing investments and knowledge transfer to support the economic and social development of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a partner organization, INTERA TP organized mentoring sessions with 12 companies in collaboration with four selected mentors from the diaspora.

We also began implementing the project Empowering ADRION Rural Communities to Innovate – ADRURAL, under the Interreg ADRION Transnational Cooperation Programme 2021–2027. Together with nine partners from seven other countries in the Adriatic-Ionian region, we will empower rural communities over the next three years by leveraging existing tested and innovative smart solutions and other innovation models, addressing key social and environmental challenges in rural areas.

This autumn, we hosted the 4th edition of the Cross Border Coworking Conference: Digital Nomads Edition, organized in Mostar in collaboration with partners from the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center Tehnopolis from Montenegro and Deli Space from Serbia. The conference once again brought together digital nomads and key stakeholders from around the world, offering them the opportunity to explore the region’s potential as a destination for digital nomads.

Through the She Works Freelance Course project, we have begun empowering unemployed women in Bosnia and Herzegovina to find employment by developing skills for launching freelancing careers. The project, implemented at Code Hub Mostar, is supported by the Embassy of the United States in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the small grants program for empowering women.

At INTERA TP, the Autodesk Training Center has been launched, offering a unique opportunity to learn and get certified in some of the most widely used software tools in the industry. Additionally, INTERA TP has become an official Pearson VUE Test Center, providing the opportunity to take certification exams for various software and tools.

Hosts of Events that Connect

Throughout the year, INTERA Technology Park hosted significant events that further enriched our community. Among the events held in our facilities were the ADFT conference and the 3rd Mostar Hydrogen Forum. We also hosted the Caritas Youth Employment Fair, providing young people with opportunities to build their professional futures, as well as the Business Skill Academy, an educational program organized by AIESEC focused on developing business skills among students and young professionals.

Training that Opens Doors to the Future

In 2024, we organized a series of educational programs that attracted over 100 participants. The training for CNC programmers and operators enabled participants to acquire the skills necessary for competitiveness in the labor market. Through the AutoCAD and Revit training, participants worked with the latest licensed software versions and earned Autodesk certificates. Additionally, the Microsoft Excel training for business users helped participants improve their business skills through practical examples, with a certificate awarded as confirmation of their acquired knowledge.

Competitions and Opportunities for Young People

In May, we held Design Megdan 2024, a competition for students of technical faculties that fostered creativity and teamwork. With the support of mentors, participants had the opportunity to develop models of vehicles powered by mechanical potential energy, with the winners receiving valuable prizes and opportunities for professional development. In December, we continued the successful project by organizing Design Megdan 2.0, expanding such initiatives and ensuring new opportunities for the development of young innovators and technical experts.

As part of the CapTTict project, we opened applications for the first cohort of the Danube Digital Accelerator (DDAccelerator) program. This four-month program is designed to provide students, researchers, and young entrepreneurs with the opportunity to turn their innovative ICT projects into successful business ventures.

Thanks to Partners and Participants

None of our achievements would have been possible without the support of donors, partners, collaborators, and all the participants in our projects. Thank you for being part of our story and for working together to create a better future.

Looking Ahead

As we bid farewell to this successful year, we take pride in all the achievements we’ve made, which motivate us for the new challenges ahead. We eagerly look forward to 2025, when we will continue to build, innovate, and create value for our community. To all our users, partners, collaborators, and friends, we wish you happy holidays and thank you for being with us on this journey. See you next year, when we’ll strive to be even better and take steps toward new successes every day!

December 23, 2024