nowEurope

Let me continue to post some remarks to the previous notes on the new initiative the “Centrope ICT technology transfer” which broadens the variety of activities taking place in the so called “Centrope region”. The region accounts for about six million inhabitants.

Why and how did it all start? The CITT project was initiated by the Vienna IT Enterprises Platform of the Vienna Business Agency more than a year ago. VITE is the network for IT companies, research-, development- and educational institutions which have their seat in Vienna. The main goals of VITE is raising awareness for the value of cooperation and implementing existing skills and ideas to initiatives.

In order to strengthen the innovative power and competitiveness, VITE supports clustering activities with the neighbouring regions. Several brainstorming sessions of the partners representing each Centrope country lead to the successful CITT project co-financed within the Seventh Framework Programme – Regions of Knowledge. More about the project coming soon also on www.centrope-itt.eu.

The idea behind the project is that there are differences in penetration of IT technolo­gies within this region which needs to be tackled. Furthermore, there is a scope for improvement in connecting academia with business and strengthening the cross-border cooperation of ICT actors.

However, the co-operation can only exploit its full potential if all relevant decision makers and players within the Centrope Region are working together. Therefore I would like to invite you to share this process with us and to support this initiative with your opinions and actions!

PS A note on people being an inspiration for us: Heinz Zemanek - an Austrian computer pioneer, known primarily for building the first computer working entirely on transistors, called Mailüfterl . Hedy Lamarr - an extraordinary woman born in Vienna, being a Hollywood actress and at the same time co-inventor of an early form of spread spectrum encoding, a key to modern wireless communication. It would be interesting to read more about other inspiring persons from you …