Call for proposals: Interreg Central Europe 2021-2027 – SO1.2: Strengthening skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship

Project period: 01.01.2026-31.12.2027

Total budget: EUR 785 239.00

EU contribution (ERDF): EUR 628 191.20

Budget of the EGTC: EUR 246 930.60

Project partners:

Lead partner: Pannonian Grouping of European Territorial Cooperation (HU)

- Development Centre Murska Sobota (SI)

- Croatian Forests Ltd. (HR)

- Mecsekerdő Zrt. (HU)

- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek – Faculty of Economics and Business (HR)

Associated partners:

- Future Forest GmbH & Co. KG (DE) – Future Forest Initiative

- Zavod za gozdove Slovenije (SI) – Slovenia Forest Service

Objective of the project:

The aim of Pannon Future Forest is to promote the exploitation of green economy opportunities based on forests, grasslands and wetlands in rural areas along the Hungarian-Slovenian and Hungarian-Croatian borders.

The project responds to the challenges of climate change and the economic disadvantages of rural areas at the same time: it opens up new markets in the field of carbon and biodiversity credits, helps businesses and communities to create sustainable economic opportunities, and the Pannon Future Forest Knowledge Hub is a unique initiative even on an international level, which ensures the sustainability of the project's results in the long term.

The project focuses on:

• Creation of a mentor network and Knowledge Centre to help businesses and business support organisations develop new business concepts,
• Explore innovative business opportunities in the fields of carbon and biodiversity credits, ecotourism, forest bioeconomics, and digital and nature-based forest management solutions,
• Strengthening entrepreneurial and professional competencies, supporting knowledge transfer and joint developments.

Activities:

• To develop a European knowledge and contact base in the field of green economy.
• Capacity building workshops and trainings in partner regions.
• To organize a transnational hackathon that launches new business ideas and ventures.
• Creation of a Mentor Program and Mentor Network to support entrepreneurs and innovators.
• Organizing roadshows with the involvement of local businesses and communities.
• Launch of the Pannon Future Forest Knowledge Hub, which serves as a long-term professional platform.
• International thematic events and matchmaking programs that provide opportunities for knowledge sharing and building business relationships.

Expected results:

• 1 common strategy for exploiting green economy business opportunities.
• 1 validated mentor service within the framework of the Pannon Future Forest Knowledge Hub.
• Implementation of 1 pilot program in which companies test new business models.
• Active cross-border cooperation of 7 organizations in the project.
• Involvement and cooperation of 50 organizations after the end of the project.
• Developing new entrepreneurial competencies in the fields of carbon farming, biodiversity, forest bioeconomics and digital forest management.
• Operation of a sustainable, transnational Knowledge Centre that supports green economy innovations in the long term.