Menu
The Smart Accelerator project focuses on implementing the regional RIS3 strategy and aims to contribute to more dynamic development in the areas of research, development and innovation and to solving problems defined in the innovation strategy.
The aim of the project is to improve the coordination of the development of the innovation environment in the region with an emphasis on regional and international cooperation, to improve links and cooperation between representatives of the corporate, academic, public and civil sectors, and to prepare financial and support instruments, particularly with regard to new innovative companies.
The Smart Accelerator project is funded by the European Union.
The accelerator is an accelerator
The term “smart” is used for clever, innovative solutions or new technologies. The Pilsen Region Smart Accelerator is therefore a smart tool for supporting the region’s competitiveness, based on education, research, development, and innovation.
The Pilsen Region has been mapping this area for several years and, in cooperation with the Regional Development Agency of the Pilsen Region, o.p.s., has created a Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS3), which can be implemented and updated through the Smart Accelerator project.
The fourth Smart Accelerator project is being implemented by the Plzeň Region, once again in collaboration with the Plzeň Region Regional Development Agency. Its main objective – to create the conditions in the region for the development of research, development and innovative entrepreneurship – remains unchanged. It builds on what has been established and proven successful in previous projects.
The project focuses on systematically supporting the development of research, development and innovation in the Plzeň Region in line with the Regional Research and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation in the Plzeň Region (RIS3). It responds to structural changes in the regional economy, the need to strengthen the region’s knowledge base, the more intensive application of research and development results in practice, and the necessity for deeper cooperation between public administration, research organisations, educational institutions, businesses and other stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem
The project is being implemented between 1 January 2026 and 30 June 2029.
Applicant/beneficiary: Plzeň Region
Partner: Regional Development Agency of the Plzeň Region, o.p.s.
Total project expenditure: CZK 64.9 million
The project comprises six key activities:
Project management – The aim is to ensure the management and administration of the project so that all its objectives and outputs are achieved.
Core team – This activity addresses comprehensive support for the development of an innovative environment in the region in line with the Pilsen Region’s Regional Innovation Strategy, communication between key stakeholders in the region, their networking, and support for the creation of new strategic projects.
Mapping, analysis and evaluation – The aim is to monitor, analyse and evaluate the development and current state of the innovation environment in the region and to identify its needs. This activity is based on the collection of primary and secondary data and their systematic analysis and evaluation.
Assistance – The aim is to support the preparation of strategic projects in the region focused on fulfilling the objectives of the Pilsen Region’s RIS3 strategy through vouchers. The grant programme will build on the success of a similar initiative implemented in a previous project, but this time it will focus more on the preparation of international projects.
Pilot validation – This key activity serves to validate an innovative solution to a selected topic that has not yet been comprehensively addressed in the region. Two topics have been selected for the Pilsen Region Smart Accelerator IV: ‘Joint Knowledge Transfer’ (a collaboration between the University of West Bohemia, the Faculty of Medicine at Charles University in Pilsen, and COMTES FHT a.s.) and ‘EDU-INOVACE 2030+’ (University of West Bohemia).
Marketing – As part of the key activity ‘Marketing and Communication Strategy for the Region’, work continues under the GetSmart brand to ensure that the Pilsen Region is perceived as an innovative region brimming with outstanding experts and innovators, promising regional companies and interesting study opportunities offering excellent prospects on the labour market.
Contact:
Ing. Filip Uhlík – RIS3 Manager for the Pilsen Region
tel: +420 602 544 469
e-mail: uhlik@rra-pk.cz
Ing. Petra Ježková –regional RIS3 coordinator
tel: +420 777 353 669
e-mail: petra.jezkova@plzensky-kraj.cz
SMART ACCELERATOR OF PILSEN REGION III
In cooperation with the Regional Development Agency of the Pilsen Region, the Pilsen Region is implementing its third Smart Accelerator project, which aims to establish the most suitable conditions in the region and create the most favorable environment for the development of research, development, and innovative entrepreneurship.
The aim of the Smart Accelerator Pilsen Region III project is to develop the capacities and competencies needed to create conditions for strengthening smart specialization in R&D&I in the Pilsen Region and to deepen cooperation between all actors in the regional innovation ecosystem. The project activities are based on the priorities defined by the Regional Innovation Strategy of the Pilsen Region.
The project was implemented between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2025.
Applicant/recipient: Pilsen Region
Partner: Regional Development Agency of the Pilsen Region, o.p.s.
Total project expenditure: CZK 61 million
The project consists of seven key activities:
Project management – The aim of this activity is to ensure that the project is managed in such a way that all its objectives and outputs are achieved.
Core team – This activity addresses comprehensive support for the development of an innovative environment in the region in line with the Regional Innovation Strategy of the Pilsen Region, communication between key players in the region, their networking, and support for the creation of new strategic projects.
Education – This activity focuses on developing the competencies of the project’s expert team and experts involved in implementing the Regional RIS3 Strategy in the region.
Mapping – The aim of this key activity is to monitor, analyze, and evaluate the development and current state of the innovation environment in the region and to identify its needs. The activity is based on the collection of primary and secondary data and their systematic analysis and evaluation.
Assistance – Assistance is an activity that is being implemented for the first time within the project. Its aim is to support the preparation of strategic projects in the region focused on fulfilling the objectives of the RIS3 strategy of the Pilsen Region through vouchers. As part of this activity, a new subsidy program of the Pilsen Region was prepared and launched for this purpose.
Pilot verification – This key activity serves to verify an innovative solution to a selected topic that has not yet been comprehensively addressed in the region. The topic “Building a community of talent” has been selected for the SA III project, and the activities implemented are aimed at a systematic approach to the community of talented individuals and networking of talented individuals themselves, as well as support organizations, innovative companies, and researchers.
Marketing – As part of the key activity Marketing and Communication Strategy of the Region, work continues to ensure that the Pilsen Region is perceived as an innovative region full of outstanding experts and innovators, promising regional companies, and interesting study opportunities with excellent prospects on the labor market.
SMART ACCELERATOR OF PILSEN REGION II
The Smart Accelerator of the Pilsen Region II project was finding ways to support the competitiveness of the region based on education, research, development and innovation. The main project partners worked on creating cooperation, building a network of contacts and an environment for communicating common topics.
The Pilsen Region, which is characterized by a significant share of large enterprises (often with foreign capital participation) in employment and a lower share and importance of smaller enterprises and a shortage of workers in qualified occupational groups, especially in research, development and innovation, has long been striving to increase the share of jobs with higher qualification requirements.
Implementation period: 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022
Applicant/recipient: Pilsen Region
Partner: Regional Development Agency of the Pilsen Region, o.p.s.
Project budget: financed from the Operational Programme Research, Development and Education, reg. no.: CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/18_055/0016623, total eligible project expenses are CZK 39,439,560.
The priority of the region is to reduce the share of low-skilled jobs in overall employment and to increase the importance of education and innovation in the economy. Key prerequisites for these changes include a significant increase in the level of education, qualifications, skills, and knowledge, as well as motivation for creativity.
These efforts were also supported by the Smart Accelerator II project of the Pilsen Region, which implemented three optional key activities: Pilot Testing (acceleration and incubation programs), Twinning, and the Marketing and Communication Strategy of the Pilsen Region in the field of research, development, and innovation. In 2021, pilot testing of specific programs was launched within the strategic interventions Support for the Creation of Companies and Support for Company Acceleration.
Representatives involved in the project
The strategic interventions addressed by the project:
SMART ACCELERATOR OF PILSEN REGION
The purpose of the Smart Accelerator project was to improve the coordination of the development of the regional innovation ecosystem, strengthen links and cooperation among representatives of individual sectors (business, academic, public, and civil), prepare financial and support instruments (particularly with regard to new innovative companies), verify strategic interventions aimed at ensuring a supply of highly qualified professionals, enhance the region’s reputation in the field of research, development, and innovation, and prepare selected joint projects.
Implementation period: 1 January 2017 – 31 December 2019
Applicant/recipient: Pilsen Region
Partner: Regional Development Agency of the Pilsen Region, o.p.s.
Total project expenditure:
Project budget: Funded by the Operational Programme Research, Development and Education, Reg. No.: CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/15_004/0003807; total eligible project expenditure: CZK 17,470,812
The project addressed the following strategic interventions:
