A great opportunity to strengthen the competitiveness of SMEs in the tourism and cultural heritage sector; the available calls for proposals put in place by the e.INS Spoke2 project, which is part of the e.INS - Ecosystem of Innovation for Next Generation Sardinia Spoke 2 ecosystem, were presented this morning in the UniOlbia main hall.
The measure, funded by the PNRR and coordinated by the University of Sassari, aims to promote the economic growth of Sardinia by focusing on tourism and cultural heritage.
The works were opened by the General Director of Cipnes, Aldo Carta, who introduced the Rector of the University of Sassari, Gavino Mariotti.
"We are here to unite Sassari, Alghero, Olbia and the upper Gallura, the entire North which is the productive part of Sardinia. It is a project of 127 million euros in total, divided into spokes - said Mariotti - The particular attention for Gallura is given by its stimulus, its continuous contact with these themes. Going outside the walls and dealing with the territories in terms of planning and culture, is a duty of the University". "A closeness, ours - reiterated the Rector - which materializes in actions, I hope that many companies can participate".
Scientific coordinator of the ecosystem for the University of Sassari, Professor Veronica Camerada. « More than a project, it is a real regional program - she explains - Our general ecosystem is made up of ten thematic areas, we deal with tourism and cultural heritage, we carry out research and transfer and technological care activities in favor of this type of business. The industrial researchers who have been recruited within the ecosystem carry out specific themes related to specific classes of business. The same goes for local authorities, giving life to co-design activities with us that aim to strengthen innovation and the competitive profile of the business using the drivers of digitalization with specific themes identified from time to time according to the vocation of the places ».
In Gallura, focus on nautical and tourism, in all its forms: Uniss, through analysis of a continuous flow of information, has a clear idea of the characteristics of each individual territorial reality. During the morning, the many operators present at the meeting were given a questionnaire on the digital maturity of businesses. For small and medium-sized businesses, the cascade calls for proposals provide for a co-financing quota of 50%; eligible costs, from personnel to materials and equipment to consultancy services and innovation support up to indirect costs (flat rate, 15% on personnel expenses) and other types of expenses strictly connected to the project.
"A first round of the call expired in September where we had 14 beneficiaries for a co-financed commitment of 850,000 euros ; this tranche, however, which expires on February 28, is 1,700,000 euros of budget for projects with a high content of product or process innovation - explains Luca Pulina, full professor of Computer Science at the University of Sassari, coordinator of the spoke - Among those already financed, for example, some have introduced customer relationship management, others have introduced storytelling created thanks to virtual reality". The idea is that companies can present a project idea knowing that they can also finance the specialist consultancy to make it happen. "The other call, with the same deadline - he continues - is aimed at specific start-ups that will impact the tourism and cultural heritage sectors. They can receive from 20,000 to 200,000 euros, it is important that innovation makes the company take a leap forward, with the use and insertion of enabling technologies".
The third intervention is reserved for Local Authorities and includes digital tools to analyze tourism dynamics, plan sustainable strategies and actively involve the community in enhancing the territory. "In this case, these are collaboration agreements - Pulina explains - where we provide for a reimbursement of expenses. After sending a membership form, the co-design phase begins on our part, focusing on two aspects: the implementation of use cases that can serve to enhance the territory in a tourism key, using innovative technologies, and help in the realization of the project results by actively involving citizens, another very important aspect to be as effective as possible".
At the end of the meeting, the last pillar of the project was presented, namely the training plan for tourism and cultural heritage businesses in order to promote their growth. Next appointments of the “e.INS Spoke 2 Innovation Paths”, Nuoro, at UniNuoro on January 23 and Oristano on January 30.
