Projects

In 2024 Sunrise Tech Park starts implementing European Innovation Ecosystems‘ project FINEX designed to strengthen the European Cleantech innovation ecosystems by connecting and promoting the best experimentation spaces and practices. The objectives of FINEX project are: 1) to stimulate and interconnect the Europe‘s Cleantech innovation ecosystems enhancing their gender inclusiveness, openness, competitiveness, and global potential; 2) to jointly develop world-class experimentation spaces and the promotion of a better aligned EU regulations, fiscal and legal framework; 3) to identify and support Cleantech domains and innovators requiring the development of experimentation spaces capable of supporting the quick deployment of disruptive and novel deep tech solutions with the potential to help Europe achieve Climate and Industrial leadership.

The project involves 9 partners:

• ­     Tallinn University of Technology - FinEst Centre for Smart City, Estonia (the coordinator)
• ­          Aalto University - FinEst Centre for Smart City, Finland
• ­          EIT Digital, Belgium
• ­          EIT Climate KIC, the Netherlands
• ­          Cleantech Group Europe, UK
• ­          University of Cyprus Research and Innovation Center of Excellence, Cyprus 
• ­          Sunrise Tech Park, Lithuania
• ­          Riga Technical University, Latvia
• ­          Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Bulgaria

Project duration: 2024 – 2026.

The project is financed by the Horizon Europe European Innovation Ecosystems Program.

The consortium of Vilnius Gediminas University of Technology (VilniusTech) aims to develop smart, climate-neutral production technologies and materials (SmartEcoTech) leveraging the scientific research and experimental development ecosystem of technological universities and companies. The project's objective is to enhance environmental quality and mitigate air pollution by contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Lithuania. Additionally, it seeks to promote the adoption of sustainable solutions in the construction sector, thereby expediting the transition of the construction market towards sustainability and zero waste.

In December 2023, the consortium coordinator VilniusTech finalized a financing agreement with the Innovation Agency Lithuania. Over the upcoming years, the consortium will establish a competence center, undertake 10 R&D projects focusing on energy and environmental protection, and provide innovation support and consulting services. The projected total value of the initiative amounts to 32.10 million euros.

This ambitious project is collaboratively implemented by a consortium comprising 14 partners, including Vilnius Tech, Kaunas University of Technology, UAB SG dujos Auto, UAB Arginta, UAB 3D Creative, UAB Ekobazė, UAB Provectus redivivus, AB Road Maintenance, UAB Soli Tek R&D, UAB Nanoversa, Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, Sunrise Tech Park, Kaunas Science and Technology Park, and Lithuanian Innovation Center. The planned missions also involve active participation from four members of the Cleantech Cluster Lithuania. The project is implemented by Innovation Agency Lithuania. 

Project duration: January 1, 2024 - August 31, 2026.

The SmartEcoTech project (no. 02-002-P-0001)  is funded by the European Economic Recovery and Resilience Plan “New Generation Lithuania” and the budget of the Republic of Lithuania.

The main objective of ST(R)E(A)M IT is to initiate change about the persisting gender inequalities in STEM education, research, and innovation to contribute to the implementation of the ‘The European Manifesto for gender-inclusive STE(A)M education and careers.’ The envisioned aim of the project will be achieved by 1) empowering underrepresented groups in STEM, 2) piloting and fostering the integration of STEAM approaches in STEM education by synthesising previous knowledge and networks, 3) promoting gender-inclusive career paths and increasing the talent pipeline in the STEM fields together with the attractiveness of STEM careers, 4) supporting STEM education providers through knowledge sharing, capacity building to remove gender-based barriers including gender stereotypes in STEM education. By encouraging sustainable collaboration of STEM-oriented businesses, secondary and higher education institutions, research organisations, as well as informal science education establishments, NGOs, and civil society organisations, ST(R)E(A)M IT provides several tools for closing the existing gender gap in STEM education and career.

The initiative brings together a consortium of 21 partners representing Hungary, Ireland, Sweden, Germany, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Spain, Belgium, and Iceland.

Project duration: January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2026.

The StreamIT  project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe programme under grant agreement no. 101131843.

https://streamit-project.eu/

The project's objective is to develop and validate a training platform tailored for digitization facilitators, offering access to premier training resources and networking prospects. Users will have the capability to self-assess their learning requirements and engage in personalized training programmes. The project will assess the effectiveness of four specialized facilitator communities dedicated to advanced manufacturing, health technology, mobility, and artificial intelligence. Building upon a proven methodology, the project will initiate further communities focused on AgriFood and Cleantech.

Initiated by the Innovation and Technology Center of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in Spain, the project brings together a consortium of 16 partners spanning Belgium, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Sweden, Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Portugal, and Lithuania.

Project duration: January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2026

The EU.fficient project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe programme under grant agreement no.101135297.

https://www.eufficient.eu 

We take pride in our partnership with the Horizon4Ukraine programme project "Seeds of Bravery" (UASeeds), which was launched in October 2023. Conducting a thorough analysis of Ukraine's innovation ecosystem post the Russian invasion, the collaboration involves six Ukrainian entities and sixteen partners from twelve other EU member states. Together, we are dedicated to implementing a project aimed at providing essential support to Ukrainian start-ups and small to medium-sized technology companies. Our objective is to mitigate the damage incurred, align with the Ukrainian government's vision of becoming a "startup state," and elevate the role of innovators and the technology industry in driving economic growth.

To achieve these ambitious goals, we have devised a comprehensive package of support services. This includes tiered financing options, such as grants ranging from EUR 10000 to 50000, access to diverse funding sources (connecting to public funds, private investors, training on EIC, EIT, and other tiered financing mechanisms), specialized incubation and acceleration programmes focused on deep technology, and go-to-market initiatives. A vital aspect of the project is European integration, strategically positioning Ukrainian innovations closer to investors, accelerators, potential buyers, innovation agencies, and more.

The anticipated impact of this project is significant, with approximately 1000 innovators, startups, and technological companies in Ukraine or founded after February 24, 2022, by Ukrainian citizens in other EU countries expected to benefit from the support package. As part of our commitment, Sunrise Tech Park actively engages in activities focused on enhancing the competencies of investors and business angels in Ukraine, developing and executing business creation and acceleration programmes, and organizing an event facilitating the presentation of Ukrainian startups to investors hailing from the Baltic countries.

The consortium, managed by FundingBox, a Poland-based unit managing cascade funding activities, receives crucial support from USF, a Ukrainian public agency dedicated to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. Key partners, including EITH (KICs), PNP (Investors), LXI (EU Innovation Stakeholder), CORKBIC (BIC Network), IHS (Impact Hub Network), IOP (Ukraine EEN), among others, play pivotal roles in service delivery and impact creation.

Project duration: October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2025  

The UASeeds project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon4Ukraine programme under grant agreement no.101104445.

https://seedsofbravery.eu/ 

StartupLAB is strategically designed to catalyze the expansion and enhancement of Lithuania's startup ecosystem. Throughout the StartupLAB initiative, an extensive and methodical innovation promotion programme will be deployed, targeting small and medium-sized enterprises across Western and Central Lithuania. This comprehensive programme aims to facilitate the evolution of innovative products and services, as well as the establishment of new startups within the regions. Comprising a series of thoroughly planned stages, StartupLAB will administer a four-phase programme tailored to address various requirements and stages of business inception. These stages encompass entrepreneurship-stimulating events, known as SparkUP, idea refinement gatherings through hackathons under the banner of IdeaLAB, and culminating in an incubation and pre-acceleration programme under the auspices of StartupLAB itself. Through this multifaceted approach, StartupLAB strives to invigorate entrepreneurial initiatives, nurture creative ideas, and propel promising ventures towards sustainable growth and success.

The project is implemented by Sunrise Tech Park.

Project duration: January 2, 2024 - September 1, 2029.

The StartupLAB project (no. 02-025-K-0005) is funded by the European Economic Recovery and Resilience Plan “New Generation Lithuania” and the budget of the Republic of Lithuania under the call  Startuolis 02-025-K.

In September 2023, Sunrise Tech Park joined the Erasmus+ programme project "Net0 Manager." The primary objective of this project is to enhance the skills and competences of managers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the realm of CO2 management, fostering the adoption of climate-neutral business strategies. The project is dedicated to introducing innovative and inclusive teaching methods tailored to the individual needs of learners.

Throughout the project's duration, a comprehensive training course on climate neutrality, titled "Net0," will be developed and tested. This course will encompass various aspects, including an understanding of Net0 concepts, Net0 measures, emission management across the value chain, formulation of a climate-neutral business strategy, and effective communication of sustainability and climate neutrality in the business context.

Collaborating as project partners are reputable institutions from across Europe, each contributing unique expertise to the initiative. Together, these partners aim to pave the way for a more sustainable and climate-resilient business landscape by empowering SME managers with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of CO2 management and embrace climate-neutral practices.

Project partners:

• Vocational training institution Training2000, Italy (Coordinator)
• Environmental engineering company Innogestiona Ambiental, Spain
• Research Institute HEFTA, Hungary
• Confederation of European Small and Medium Enterprises, Belgium
• Sunrise Tech Park, Lithuania
• Gebze Technical University, Turkey

Project duration: September 15, 2023 - September 14, 2025

The Net0Managers project (no. 2023-1-IT01-KA220-VET-000151858) is partially funded by the Erasmus+ programme.

https://www.net0manager.eu

Since October 2024, Sunrise Tech Park has become a participant in the COST action LIAISE, titled "Cooperation, Development, and Cross-border Transfer of Industrial Symbiosis Among Industry and Stakeholders." LIAISE endeavors to establish an inclusive and comprehensive Industrial Symbiosis (IS) approach, fostering synergies among diverse stakeholders within the q-helix framework. The primary goal is to lay the foundation for increased and robust knowledge development.

Industrial symbiosis, as facilitated by collaborative frameworks, establishes a cooperative platform among economic entities. This arrangement enables the transformation of one producer's byproducts or waste into valuable resources for another company's production processes. The exchange and sharing of resources lead to cost reductions for raw materials, water, and energy, promoting heightened recycling and a decrease in waste destined for landfills. This symbiotic relationship not only contributes to environmental conservation but also yields economic benefits. Despite its potential, the widespread adoption of industrial symbiosis as a business model has yet to materialize. LIAISE seeks to harness the potential of Industrial Symbiosis to enhance resource efficiency, reduce waste generation, and stimulate economic growth, all while minimizing the environmental impact of industrial activities. Sunrise Tech Park has become a member of LIAISE working groups that focus on acknowledging industrial symbiosis and championing the dissemination and application of performance outcomes.

Initiated by the Murcia Regional Technology Center for Furniture and Wood, LIAISE has garnered the collaboration of 57 partners from 34 COST countries. Sunrise Tech Park actively participates in the LIAISE management committee alongside Kaunas University of Technology. Together, they aim to contribute to the advancement of industrial symbiosis and its positive impact on resource utilization, waste reduction, and sustainable economic development.

Project duration: October 24, 2023 - October 23, 2027 

The LIAISE project has received funding from the European Union's COST programme under grant agreement no. CA22110.

https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA22110/

In January 2023, the Interreg BSR programme project  "BioBoosters" was launched, bringing together seven countries in the Baltic Sea region renowned for their advanced bioeconomy innovation ecosystems. The overarching objective of this initiative is to foster the development of circular bioeconomy enterprises in the region through the facilitation of hackathons. A pivotal aspect of the project involves creating and refining an international model for hackathons and their associated services. This strategic initiative aims to ensure that the knowledge generated remains applicable and continues to be utilized beyond the project's conclusion.

Throughout the project's duration, a total of 18 hackathons are planned, each poised to yield innovative solutions—up to 70 in total—addressing challenges within the circular economy. In Lithuania, Sunrise Tech Park has scheduled two international hackathons for spring of 2024 and 2025, aimed at promoting the principles of the circular economy.

The collaborative effort involves the synergy of business clusters, science and technology parks, non-governmental organizations, and higher education institutions from Finland, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. This collective effort is poised to catalyze meaningful advancements in the circular bioeconomy, with the BioBoosters project serving as a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and sustainable economic growth in the Baltic Sea region.

Project partners:

• Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Finland (Coordinator)
• Paper Industry Cluster "Paper Province," Sweden
• Network of Bioeconomy Organizations of Northern Sweden "Biofuel Region," Sweden
• Vidzeme Region, Latvia
• Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia
• Science and Technology Park "Witeno," Germany
• Pernu County Development Center, Estonia
• Education and Social Dialogue Foundation 'PRO CIVIS,' Poland
• Sunrise Tech Park, Lithuania

Project duration: January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2025 .

The Bioboosters project (no. C022) is partially funded by the Interreg BSR program and the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.

https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/bioboosters/

The EDIH VILNIUS consortium is strategically aligning its members' strengths and competencies to facilitate the implementation of digitalization processes for SMEs and public institutions in the Vilnius region. Leveraging supercomputing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity technologies, the consortium aims to disseminate digital solutions that not only bolster the competitiveness of companies but also elevate the skills of the organizations' personnel.

An integral objective of the project is to foster international collaboration with other European digital innovation hubs. Such partnerships are envisioned to expedite the discovery of specialized digitalization tools and prevent the duplication of solutions by promoting knowledge-sharing and collaborative problem-solving.

Within the consortium's scope, the primary project areas for service provision encompass automation, smart city solutions, and smart health. The services offered are categorized into four distinct groups, through which consortium members will guide contacting companies and public organizations. These categories include:

Pre-Investment Testing: This group of services facilitates experimentation, prototyping, and related activities to support pre-investment decision-making.

Digital Skills and Training: Consortium members will provide services focused on enhancing digital skills and providing necessary training to personnel.

Funding and Investment Attraction: Services in this category are designed to assist in securing funding and attracting investments for digitalization initiatives.

Innovation Ecosystem and Networking: The consortium will offer services aimed at fostering innovation ecosystems and facilitating networking opportunities for companies and organizations seeking to advance their digital capabilities.

Through this strategic approach, the EDIH VILNIUS consortium endeavors to play a pivotal role in driving digital transformation, ultimately contributing to the growth and resilience of businesses and public entities in the Vilnius region.

Consortium members:

• Sunrise Tech Park (project coordinator)
• Vilnius University
• Vilnius Gediminas Technical University
• State Research Institute of Physical Sciences and Technology
• Lithuanian Robotics Association
• LithuaniaBIO
• Visoriai Information Technology Park
• Vilniaus Planas
• Smart Health DIH
• Vilnius City Municipality (associate partner)

Project duration: January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2025.

The EDIH Vilnius project has received partial funding from the European Union's Digital Europe programme under grant agreement no. 101083844. The EDIH Vilnius project is partially funded by Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).

https://www.edih.lt/

Sunrise Tech Park has engaged in the Digital Europe project MERIT, launched in 2022 with a strategic vision to address Europe's digital skills gap. At the core of this initiative is a joint Master programme collaboratively offered by four European universities—Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Spain), Vilnius Tech (Lithuania), Riga Technical University (Latvia), and TALTECH (Estonia). The programme is enriched by the valuable contributions of industrial partners and stakeholders, bringing forth their expertise, research, and innovative activities.

The primary focus of MERIT is to empower society with individuals adept at understanding, managing, and innovating in technological developments, including artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and cybersecurity. The project envisions improving the quality of life in Europe by increasing the number of young contributors to the digital economy through enhanced training opportunities. MERIT recognizes the necessity of equipping the next generation with skills that enable them to navigate and lead in a digital world, addressing tomorrow's challenges.

To ensure the quality and flexibility of student careers, MERIT partners collaborate on a unified master's programme, offering mobility for both teachers and students, blended learning opportunities, and the integration of research aspects and market problems in practical projects, hackathons, and master's theses. The programme further supports future career endeavors. Importantly, the MERIT ecosystem extends beyond partner countries, targeting European nations with a low Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) through the EDIH networks. Scholarships prioritize underrepresented communities, and master's theses and hackathon prizes are instituted to attract a diverse array of potential students.

Project partners:

• Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain; 
• Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania
• Riga Technical University, Latvia
• Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia
• Digital Innovation Zone, Romania
• FBK Science Institute, Italy
• Private company Asoindel, Spain
• Sunrise Tech Park, Lithuania
• Technology Centre of Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain
• Exacaster UAB, Lithuania

Project duration: October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2026.

The MERIT project has received partial funding from the European Union's Digital Europe programme under grant agreement no. 101083531.

https://digitalmerit.eu/

In 2021, the Sunrise Valley Digital Innovation Hub (SSSIC) became a participant in the international project BOWI (Boosting Widening Digital Innovation Hubs). The primary aim of the BOWI initiative is to establish a network of digital innovation hubs and small to medium-sized enterprises across Europe, with the overarching goal of expediting the discovery and development of digital innovations. This collaborative effort seeks to enhance the competitiveness of companies in both local and global markets. By engaging in the project, SSSIC has had the opportunity to enhance the expertise of its professionals and support local businesses in cultivating innovative technologies through funding acquisition.

Early in 2021, the Sunrise Valley DIH applied in response to the "BOWI widening call for developing hubs" and by the onset of summer, it was confirmed that SSSIC had been selected as one of the nine winners for this international endeavor. Collaborating closely with advanced digital innovation hubs across European countries, SSSIC facilitated the development of innovative technologies for local companies, securing funding of up to 60,000 euros for project implementation among four regional enterprises—Enodo, Laser Manufacturing Technologies, FittyAI, and KSU Education Academy. The consultation process involved partnership with Sunrise Valley SIC, Aachen University, and Transylvania IT cluster. Notably, all four projects were successfully executed by 2023.

The BOWI project serves as a unifying platform for technology and innovation parks, universities, clusters, business consulting organizations, and technology developers from Lithuania, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Finland, Bulgaria, Latvia, Romania, Norway, and Ukraine.

Sunrise Tech Park joined the project on June 1, 2021, and remained an active participant until December 31, 2023.

The BOWI  project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe programme under grant agreement no. 873155.

https://bowi-network.eu/

In 2023, Sunrise Tech Park became a part of the SmartDev - BSR initiative, which was launched by the Latvian GreenTech cluster and financed by the Swedish Institute. The overarching objective of the project is to cultivate a collaboration network through the establishment of a cooperative platform, fortifying the innovation ecosystem within the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) and neighboring territories as well as through the inception of joint projects. Throughout the project duration, project partners collaborated to compile a comprehensive overview of the startup and green innovation ecosystem within the BSR network. This overview delineates the principal stakeholders within the innovation and startup landscape, as well as outlines the supportive programmes available across eight BSR countries and Ukraine. In conjunction with its partners, Sunrise Tech Park, actively engaged in project meetings aimed at identifying cooperative opportunities, extending pertinent invitations, and formulating project proposals to secure EU funding. 

Additionally, on November 21, 2023, an online event titled "Startup Success Stories - Navigating the Baltic Sea Region" was organized for partner startup ecosystems. During this event, startup founders from Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, and Poland showcased their business success. Vidmantas Šakalys, a member of the Sunrise Tech Park community and the head of Vital3D Technologies, represented Lithuania, sharing insightful narratives about his entrepreneurial journey.

Project partners:

• Association STARTcentrum, Sweden (coordinator)
• Latvian GreenTech cluster, Latvia
• Tartu Center for Creative Industries, Estonia
• Mobile Open Society through Technology - MOST, Poland
• Startup Migrants, Germany
• Sunrise Tech Park, Lithuania
• Impact Hub, Latvia
• Training institution Kaospilot, Denmark
• Greencubator, Ukraine.

Project duration: October 1, 2022 - November 30, 2023.

Project SmartDev - BSR is funded by Swedish Institute.

Sharing a vision of contributing to a green and sustainable future, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia are joining their efforts to boost the development and deal flow of cleantech start-ups in the CEE region. The consortium is bound to find synergies in cross-border cooperation in favouring green innovation uptake. The partnership brings expertise in green business’ development and innovation commercialisation support, is open for the highest level of collaboration, and is committed to systemic change. The Baltics, with their small combined population of 6 million, are demonstrating 5x more funding per capita than the 14 countries in the CEE region, with 80.80 eur and 15.15 eur per citizen respectively. Baltic founders and governments seem to have found a key to success in the startup world. The project will offer startups a Climate-KIC based accelerator implemented in 3 stages: focusing on local ecosystems, embracing collaboration and accessing finance. 

Partners:

• Riga Technical University, Latvia
• Greentech Cluster, Latvia
• Cleantech Forest, Estonia
• Cleantech Cluster Lithuania by Sunrise Tech Park
• Civitta, Slovakia

Project duration: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021.

The ClimAccelerator project (no. 210248; no. 210209) has been funded by EIT Climate KIC.

https://climaccelerator.climate-kic.org/

ClimateLaunchpad stands as the world's preeminent competition for innovative green business concepts, dedicated to unlocking the full potential of cleantech solutions addressing the challenges of climate change. This competition is an integral component of the Entrepreneurship offerings provided by EIT Climate-KIC. In Lithuania, Sunrise Tech Park has been running the national edition of ClimateLaunchpad since 2015.

The competition unfolds across three distinctive phases:

- Boot Camp: ClimateLaunchpad commences with a comprehensive 2-day Boot Camp, featuring expert trainers from around the globe. This immersive experience equips participants with the essential knowledge required to catalyze the initiation of their green businesses.

- Intensive Coaching and National Finals: Following the Boot Camp, teams undergo a period of intensive coaching to refine their pitch, value proposition, and business model. Subsequently, they present their ideas in the National Final in front of a distinguished National Jury. Winning teams from the National Finals earn the opportunity to advance to the prestigious Global Grand Final.

- Global Grand Final: The culmination of the competition, the Global Grand Final brings together the best competitors. Not only do they vie for top honors, but exemplary participants may also gain access to the Climate-KIC Accelerator and secure monetary prizes, further propelling their innovative initiatives forward.

https://climatelaunchpad.org

In December 2020, Sunrise Tech Park launched an Innovation Group, collaborating with nine organizations dedicated to digital innovation. This marked the commencement of the project titled "Development of Activities and Services of the Sunrise Valley Digital Innovation Hub".

The Sunrise Valley Digital Innovation Hub offers comprehensive services to companies engaged in developing and implementing digital solutions across various sectors, including information technologies, lasers and nanotechnologies, clean technologies, life sciences and biotechnology, electronic devices, and mechatronics, as well as digital construction and design technologies. With a one-stop approach, companies benefit from over 40 innovation support and digital innovation services provided by experts at the center. These services aim to enhance processes, boost productivity, and foster the creation of new products and services.

Throughout the project, the following objectives were pursued:

- Introducing companies to the benefits and implementation opportunities of innovative digital solutions, both financially and technically, thereby stimulating investment in digital innovations.

- Strengthening existing digitization competencies and enhancing infrastructure to equip companies with up-to-date information and professional expertise in developing digitization prototypes, concepts, implementing digitization solutions, process automation, conducting R&D, and engaging in innovative activities.

- Expanding collaborative relationships to facilitate companies in broadening their client base and service offerings, particularly in technological intelligence and brokerage services.

Throughout the project implementation phase, a range of innovation consulting and support services were delivered, alongside scientific research and experimental development activities. These encompassed research endeavors, the development of prototypes and/or concepts for products/services, as well as their testing in both laboratory and real-world settings. A total of 126 distinct companies benefited from consultations during the project, amounting to 77,667.60 hours of advisory support. 

The Digital Innovation Hub’s experts provided over 40 unique innovation support and digital innovation services aimed at enhancing business processes, bolstering productivity, and fostering the creation of novel products and services. Consequently, companies receiving consultations produced more than 90 prototypes, with over 50 innovations successfully implemented or created within these companies. 

Throughout the project's duration, a team of over 50 employees, including 35 digital innovation experts, worked diligently. Furthermore, 10 new members joined the Sunrise Valley Digital Innovation Hub during this period. Notably, companies were able to offset up to 50% of service costs using de minimis state aid.

Project duration: December 1, 2020 - December 29, 2023 

This project received partial funding from the European Regional Development Fund under the "Digital Innovation Hubs" call no. 01.2.1-LVPA-K-857-01.

https://sunrisevalleydih.lt/

The widest innovation consultant consortium in Lithuania is implementing the project „Innovation consultancy and support services for business“ (Inospurtas). The project foresees activities to provide innovation consultancy and support services which promote R&D&I and its effectiveness in business, technology transfer, innovative entrerpeneurship, participation of companies in international R&D&I programmes and pre-commercial purchases. Project activities are dedicated to companies which are implementing R&D&I activities or their future activity is attributed to R&D&I, also purchasing organisations aiming for expertise and methodological assistance in organising pre-commercial purchases. It is expected that the project will foster business investment in R&D&I activities and contribute to the economy growth. The project takes place til March 31, 2020. 

Project partners: Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology (MITA) (coordinator), Lithuanian Innovation Centre, Science and Technology Park of Institute of Physics, Visoriai Information Technology Park, Kaunas Science and Technology Park, Klaipėda Science and Technology Park, Northtown Technology Park, Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, Lithuanian Confederation of Employers, Lithuanian Business Confederation, Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park.

Project Inospurtas (Nr. 01.2.1-LVPA-V-842) is funded by EU Structural Funds measure INOGEB LT.

Futurepreneurs is an  Erasmus+ programme (2016-2018) funded project aiming to develop and test a sustainability pre-acceleration programme. This comprehensive business development training initiative comprises five thoroughly designed training sessions, or workshops, guiding participants through the process of transforming a conceptual startup idea into a viable solution ready for presentation to potential investors.

Each session is conducted by business experts, including CEOs and venture capitalists, ensuring participants receive invaluable insights and guidance. Moreover, mentors actively engage with participants between sessions, offering additional perspectives to enrich their learning experience. The programme underscores the imperative for participants to align their entrepreneurial endeavors with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, challenging them to devise innovative solutions to global challenges.

Over the course of two months, participants undergo a transformative journey, evolving not only into adept entrepreneurs but also architects of impact-driven businesses that contribute positively to the environment, society, and economy.

After the end of the project, the implementation of the sustainable business pre-acceleration programme was continued by Sunrise Tech Park by its own means.

From 2016 to 2018, Futurepreneurs project (no. 2016-2-LT02-KA205-004913) has received co-funding from the Erasmus+ programme, highlighting its commitment to fostering innovation and sustainability in alignment with broader European initiatives.

https://futurepreneurs.eu.

At the end of 2021, Sunrise Valley DIH became a member of the DIH2 (DIH Squared) network. The network connects EU technology centers with access to robotics competencies. The members of the DIH2 network aim to transform the European manufacturing sector utilising technology for SMEs and this way boost the EU's economic growth. Our role in this network is to facilitate the communication that enables the promotion of production efficiency, where speed and versatility are essential to meet customer needs.

Prior to joining SSSIC, the network brought together 25 digital innovation centers with an ecosystem of more than 300,000 manufacturing companies across the European Union. The network aims to expand the network to more than 170 organizations during the year 2022.

The DIH² project is funded by Horizon 2020 - the European Union research and innovation programme tasked with bringing great ideas from lab to market. In turn, the programme is at the heart of the Europe 2020 strategy, which aims to achieve smart, sustainable and inclusive economic growth for the future of Europe.

Project duration: from May 2022 to April 2023 (12 months).

In 2022, the Sunrise Valley Digital Innovation Centre will become part of the Change2Twin project community, bringing together digital innovation centres and small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) in applying digital twin solutions to the manufacturing sector. Through this project, we advise companies on their level of digital maturity, work with them to implement digital twinning solutions in manufacturing companies and help them attract the necessary financial support.

Main objective of the project „Lithuanian manufacturing companies employees digital competences development to digitalise manufacturing processes, No. 09.4.3-ESFA-K-814-02-0008“ – increase manufacturing companies employees professional competences, ensure their capabilities to adapt to changes in manufacturing processes during digitalisation.

Results:

• 462 employees were trained
• 16 companies

EcoRIS3 project deals with seven European policy instruments, which will be reviewed in the context of today’s innovation and economy development. Partners will analyse innovative regions and identify elements, which determine successful launch and expansion of companies. Partners will also establish a mechanism to ensure more efficient business and science collaboration, foster relationship between actors of the innovation system.

Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park, a partner in EcoRIS3 project, intends to improve Lithuanian Innovation Development Programme for 2014-2020. This will be achieved through new projects and improved R&D support services to small and medium enterprises. Partners will use good practices from thematic business and science discussions, new projects involving all key actors in the regional innovation system and improving understanding and common communication goals through smart specialization. Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park will identify regional innovation support services, which would foster business investment to R&D, develop interconnections among enterprises, research and development centres, and higher education, f.e. to help companies make use of „Innovation Vouchers“ financial instrument. 

EcoRIS3 is implemented by the consortium of 8 partners and involvement of stakeholders and regional partners. Project Coordinator is Fomento de San Sebastián (Spain), partners: Cork Institute of Technology (Ireland), Intermunicipal Council of Ave Region (Portugal), Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park (Lithuania), Kainuun Etu ltd (Finland), Metropolitan City of Turin (Italy), Vidzeme Planning region (Latvia), Conference of Atlantic Arc Cities (France).

Project „Policies & Measures to Support Local & Regional Innovation Ecosystems“ (Nr. PGI02229) is funded by Interreg Europe programme. 

More about the project http://www.interregeurope.eu/ecoris3/

Area Based Collaborative Entrepreneurship (ABCE) means entrepreneurs collaborate by co-investing in facilities and initiatives, market their urban district collectively, improve shared public space, etc. The value of such collectives is increasingly recognised by local governments and policy measures to stimulate these initiative.

Area based collaborative entrepreneurship fosters urban regeneration as the local business are most often strongly connected to their neighbourhood and committed to social goals. Neighbourhood liveability and social ties between local stakeholders are enforced. ABCE supports inclusive growth, cooperation and cohesion and helps to address the negative impacts of globalization such as economic restructuring, income inequality and the decline of urban areas.

Five European urban regions are involved in this project: Amsterdam, Athens, Manchester, Vilnius, and the conurbation Varazdin-Cakovic (Croatia). All regions currently experiment with ABCE and initiated this project to share experiences and gain deeper insights in order to develop more effective policy instruments.

Official project website: www.interregeurope.eu/abcities/

Sunrise Valley Digital Innovation Hub (SV DIH) takes part in H2020 initiative „Smart factories in new EU member states“ which is providing training and mentoring needed to shift SV DIH into operational stage. Representatives of Sunrise Valley Digital Innovation Hub took part in the Kick off workshop, which was held on 19-20 of February, 2018, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Presentations of good practices by Fraunhofer (Germany) and Innovalia (Spain) proved that digital innovation hubs bring added value to the industry, helping them to gain competitive advantage through digitalisation.

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The idea of the project is to increase the capacity of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) in the Baltic Sea Region, which would become the new vehicles to implement digitalisation strategies / policies designed by respective public authorities. Therefore, InnoCAPE involves 3 public authorities from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia directly and has support from 5 public authorities in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Lithuania as associated partners. They all will act together with 8 DIHs from the abovementioned countries, resulting in better knowledge on DIHs, increased capacity to develop measures for DIH sustainability, and better capacity to design and implement national digitalisation policies via DIHs as public enablers.

Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Poland) and Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (Estonia), as the Policy Area Coordinator for INNOVATION of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region’s Action Plan, expressed the support to the InnoCAPE project by nominating it as a Flagship project.

InnoCAPE is a project funded by Interreg BSR programme and will run in 2019-2021. Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park is the lead partner of the project. 

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The InnoCAPE DMA tool developed during the InnoCAPE project has attracted the attention of the countries and organizations beyond the Baltic Sea Region. One of them also includes the European Joint Research Center. At the beginning of 2021, the EJRC has started developing a digital maturity tool for all European digital innovation hubs in the European Union. As part of its activities, Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park, coordinator of Sunrise Valley Digital Innovation Hub was invited to join the piloting of the tool phase and apply the experience gained by the InnoCAPE consortium.

During the implementation of the activities of this project, 15 different Lithuanian companies were interviewed using a prepared evaluation questionnaire. A detailed analysis of the data collected was carried out and a report was prepared with comments from both respondents and DIH experts.

The second report provided a more detailed overview of the specific recommendations for changes to the final tool. For this report, we have used the insights from InnoCAPE project partners, who have contributed most to the development of the InnoCAPE DMA tool - they have also provided their expert insights and recommendations. In the report, comparisons with the InnoCAPE tool were provided, recommendations for the wording of texts and questions were provided, as well as a list of indicators and visualization suggestions. All project implementers met in a final meeting to present the main aspects of the analyzes performed.

In parallel with Lithuania, pilot activities were organized in two other EU countries - Portugal and Romania. The aim of all activities is to test the questionnaire in different national or regional contexts, taking into account socio-economic characteristics, languages, differences between SMEs and levels of business digitization. Because it requires knowledge and experience to work with local businesses, different digital innovation centers have been used.

The tool developed by the EJRC was proposed to DG CNECT as a suitable format for assessing the digital maturity of EDIHs’ customers in their digitization projects. The final version of the tool was announced together with the launch of the Digital Europe program in autumn 2021.

In 2020, together with RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) and the Latvian IT Cluster, an application was submitted to analyze the level of involvement of future European digital innovation hubs, identify needs and publicize the topic of inclusiveness. This pre-study included 5 virtual seminars and meetings to learn more about the term of inclusive DIHs - how such centers should work to involve everyone equally in the digitization process, both in terms of the diversity of people and the diversity of business sectors.

During the last meeting, RISE have presented an overview of the interviews conducted. RISE have shared the general overview of companies, which peculiarities prevail in different countries. Sweden already has high standards of inclusion, which are used by organizational communication, event organization and hiring processes. All seminars were useful for the team of the Sunrise Valley Digital Innovation Hub – they have gained an experience from a more mature digital innovation hub, which will later allow them to apply good practice both to their DIH processes and to the wider public. All activities were coordinated by RISE.

The network was initiated as a result of the Interreg BSR project and is coordinated by Innovatum - a science and technology park in Sweden.

During the accelerator's operation, the members of the network met in several virtual meetings-discussions to discuss potential future initiatives involving existing members. On 2021 September 30, the public event "SmartUp Accelerator Network Digital meet-up: new routes" took place, which was also attended by external companies interested in consumer-oriented clean technologies.

The aim of the HEI MAKERS project is to increase innovation and creativity through partnership of higher education institutions (HEIs) and technical spaces, leading to trans-disciplinary approaches and new teaching methods in HEI, availability of open resources for formal and non formal education, better entrepreneurial and creativity skills of graduates. Therefore the international HEI MAKERS consortium:

• Fosters collaboration of HEIs, university and private makerspaces, and other businesses;
• Amplifies technological entrepreneurship and technical creativity as key competences;
• Promotes innovative education methods;
• Increases open resources based learning opportunities;
• Recognises competencies gained through active learning at makerspace as per programmes developed;
• Tests the above-mentioned collaboration concept and ensure sustainability of results;
• Identifies and attracts new players who will join the next stages of the HEI MAKERS initiative.

HEI MAKERS will encourage more HEIs to initiate collaboration with makerspaces and re-think their study programmes, to employ innovative training methods and address the challenges of XXI century labour market. Project's outputs will open up new learning opportunities through practical application of entrepreneurial and prototyping skills, which can involve and lead to the commercialization of new services and products, to attracting potential investors, to creation of global start-ups and spin-offs and thus growing economy.

Poject partners: Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park (Lithuania) – project coordinator, LinkMenų fabrikas at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (Lithuania), Association of Technical Spaces (Lithuania), Inventya Ltd (United Kingdom), SC Ludor Engineering SRL (Romania), University Politehnica of Bucharest (Romania), Riga Technical University (Latvia).

HEI MAKERS project (N^o 2017-1-LT01-KA203-035231) is co-funded by Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership programme. The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park is expanding its network of international partners through the project „Search for partners in the field of modern technologies for entrepreneurial skills development in Enterprise Europe Network regions“. The project (Nr. S-01.2.1-LVPA-T-844-01-0008) is partly funded by EU Regional development funds. Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park will take part in networking and matchmaking events in Sweden, Norway, Turkey, Italy, Japan, etc. We will present the Science Park and our companies while looking for useful contacts and initiating Horizon2020 projects for the development of our services to business.

In 2015 - 2016, the Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology, together with the universities and science and technology parks operating within Lithuania (including the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) implemented the project INOVEKS, the total value of which was EUR 2,785,200.  The aim of this project was to increase the comparative part of business with high added-value, thus encouraging establishment and development of technological and innovative enterprises.  Within the scope of this project, the best ideas of students, PhD level students, and the young scientists and researchers were selected and on the basis of those ideas, the teams of their authors established the equivalents corresponding to the statute of small and medium-sized business entities. Expert consultancies for small and medium-sized business entities on scientific research commercialisation, technology transfer, prototype and/or dummy (model) development issues were conducted within the scope of this project.

In 2012 - 2015, the Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology, together with science and technology parks operating within Lithuania, including the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley), implemented the project Technology and Science for Innovative Enterprises. The project activities were focused on promotion of business and science collaboration, technology transfer, science and research results commercialisation, and intellectual property protection. Also, it was aimed at activation of participation of Lithuania in international R&D and innovation activity programmes. Free consultancies related to different business-relative issues were provided within the scope of this project. Extensive personal experience of the employees and partners of the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) in establishment and management of businesses as well as wide network of contacts within and outside Lithuania, contributed to the starting of 5 new enterprises and allowed assisting of over 200 business enterprises in resolving issues and finding new opportunities for business development.

In 2011 - 2014, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) together with its partners implemented a project TP-Uni, the goal of which was to develop and implement training sessions focused on development of technology transfer and entrepreneurship skills in scientists, researchers, and other professionals engaged and operating in technology transfer area. The training sessions were held having employed the experience of foreign education (research) institution – University of Bremen (Germany). During the training sessions held within the framework of the project, 80 Master and PhD level students introduced the cases of technology transfer and commercialisation, performed the analysis of technology commercialisation models, quoted the examples of efficient of technological ideas portfolio and assessed the plans on student ideas commercialisation. Together with the partners from the University of Bremen, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) also implemented a 10-months training session cycle, which involved participation of over than 40 scientists and researchers from different areas.

The aim of AdVenture project, implemented over the period from 2011 to 2013, was to promote establishment of new enterprises in Lithuania while enhancing entrepreneurship skills of students. The principles of innovations management and functioning, establishment of new businesses, design and creativity were introduced to the participants of the project. The teams participated in a six-week practical trainings in the companies, after which they developed their own business plans, gained experience in innovative Danish enterprises and participated in business plan competition. Project participant teams were consulted by 12 mentors from successfully operating and well-known in Lithuania companies. Within the scope of this project, 15 training programme leaders and coordinators were trained under the methodology of the Imperial College of London Business School, 140 participants gained entrepreneurship skills, and 3 new enterprises were founded. The total project value amounted to almost EUR 64 thousand; the project was funded by the European Social Fund.

In December 2011, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) completed implementation of the UnInova project. The primary goal of this project was to develop the competences of the scientists of Vilnius University and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, expand the thematic and partnership network of experts in different scientific areas and professional agents and moderators (technology brokers) aimed to contribute to successful transfer of technology and establishment of the demand of outsourced scientific research (including open access laboratories services). Within the scope of this project, 35 experts, able to provide versatile qualified advice in the area of technology transfer, were trained under the programme developed by the experts of the Danish Technological Institute.

The aim of TPC2 project was to contribute to the improvement of the conditions of Lithuanian business enterprise innovativeness, compatibility and ability to develop the R&D activity. In the course of the project (2009 - 2011), the non-refundable advices on business development, legal, innovations management and project management issues were given, cognitive visits to university establishments engaged in scientific research were organised and innovation partnership and youth entrepreneurship development events were held. A technology database, which includes the data on the scientists offering to business enterprises the developed technologies, as well as the information on business entities looking for partners in scientific institutions, was created within the scope of this project.

The project InoTinklas (Innonetwork), implemented over the period from 2009 to 2011, was the sole initiative linking the science and technology parks of all five 'Valleys' that are being established in Lithuania. This initiative was aimed at concentrating the potential of the parks when resolving business enterprise issues, activating the business-demand oriented R&D and otherwise developing and expanding innovations within the ranges of "Valleys".

In 2008 – 2010,  during the implementation of the Ready for Equity! 2 (RfE!2) project, the trainings of business angels, entrepreneurs and business support organisations run in the developing markets of risk capital, were conducted. Within the scope of this project, the start-up companies were assisted in attracting risk capital investments, and the partners from the countries where risk capital markets are significantly advanced (Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, Germany) shared their experience with the newly established business angel networks in Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Hungary, and Spain. Business network angels personnel education sessions were held, the sets of training material and methodology for business angels and entrepreneurs were developed, and the Ready for Equity academy, which includes development of competences necessary for operation in risk capital market, was established within the scope of this project.

During the implementation of the first stage of this project, in September 2008, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) finished construction and installation/equipment works of the Science and Technology Park. The Science and Technology Park, which occupies a 6 300 sq. m. area, is designed for establishment of innovative technology enterprises. The 900 sq. m. area of the Park is allocated for business incubator, where the beginning entrepreneurs can rent the premises on preferential terms.  The overall value of the Science and Technology Park project was over EUR 8.10 million.

The primary goal of this project was to set up a permanent innovations support system designed for development of science and business collaboration networks and innovation activity and promotion of transfer of technology from Vilnius University, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and related Vilnius scientific research institutes to Lithuanian businesses. This project aimed to improve the abilities of innovative high technology enterprises in implementing innovations, enhance public awareness on scientific researches, conducted at Vilnius University, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and Vilnius scientific research institutes and on the possibilities to implement the outcomes of such researches in practice, set up a system of transfer and propagation of the technologies of the above mentioned scientific institutions, provide business enterprises single-purpose high quality consultancies related to innovation implementation issues. The EU Structural Funds support amounting to almost EUR 376 thousand was granted to the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) for project implementation.

In 2006 - 2008, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley), together with its partners had successfully implemented the project Sunrise [Valley] School of Entrepreneurship, which was granted a EUR 327 thousand. aid. The aim of this project was to develop a practical training and consultancy framework designed to educate entrepreneurship skills of students, scientists and other participants of the programme. Over 60 Master and PhD level students and scientists of Vilnius University and Vilnius Gediminas Technical University as well as over 50 representatives of incubated enterprises were trained within the framework of this project. The Project was acknowledged by the Ministry of Education and Science as one of the top 15 education and science projects.

In 2004 – 2005, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley), together with Tartu Biotechnology Park, Ekspla and Vilnius University participated in the BRIDGE project, which aimed to invite Lithuanian high technology enterprises and scientific research institutes to join the current network of the partners of the EU EUROPRACTICE initiative. Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) was a project partner in Lithuania responsible for involvement of enterprises, organising of workshops, and selection and introduction (presentation) of products and articles related to new technologies.

In 2004 - 2005, the Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Studies (Great Britain) implemented the project on the development of  Sunrise Valley knowledge economy nucleus strategy and business plan funded by the EU Phare programme (EUR 195 thousand) Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) acted as the project coordinator. The outcomes of this project were as follows: a feasibility study of knowledge economy nucleus, project and design proposals, investment and development plan and a management model.

In 2003 – 2004, the Public Enterprise Saulėtekio slėnis (Sunrise Valley) participated in the project Support to the Innovation Structure (SINO) as business support / consultancy agency. Within the scope of this project, a training programme for small and medium-sized business enterprises was developed and 35 experts in innovations area trained as well as 10 innovations projects implemented in Lithuanian companies. SINO project partners: Danish Government, Danish Technological Institute, Lithuanian Innovation Center, Knowledge Economy Forum, Northtown Technology Park, Kaunas Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts, Kaunas University of Technology and Klaipėda Economic Development Agency.