Helixconnect Europe

HELIXCONNECT EUROPE (Romania-based) emerged as a need for a better hands-on approach to facilitating innovation, helping organisations grow and enabling a proper integration among innovators, NGOs, industry and government in Western Balkans and Eastern Europe. Our vision is to bridge global innovation systems and enable global knowledge and technology transfer in Eastern Europe and Western Balkans. HELIXCONNECT is an official partner of the New European Bauhaus Initiative where it provides advice on multi-stakeholder engagement for designing EU's new inclusive and sustainable urban spaces where societal co-creation with public authorities, youth, and experts is seen as key facilitator (i.e placemaking). HELIXCONNECT Balkans (Serbia based) is actively involved in youth work development to support the peaceful, inclusive and just transition of society towards EU integration. For this to be operationalised, HELIXCONNECT has deployed a strong team of youth workers via its BalkanScienceTellers department which uses scientific approaches to support youth and particularly, youth from social groups at risk. HELIXCONNECT has 5 main departments: • Quadruple helix engagement centre (knowledge and technology transfer via a triple/quadruple helix approach) • Center for Digital Transformation (toolkits for digital transformation of higher education) • Balkan Science Tellers (toolkits for citizen science and science communication) • Bauhaus & Inclusive Cities (toolkits for participatory engagement in sustainable and inclusive urban development) • Ecosystem integration lab (acceleration platform for university driven spinoffs and university transformation) Currently, HELIXCONNECT has 9 experienced staff members and 15-20 international advisors. Global platforms offered by HELIXCONNECT: HELIXCONNECT hosts the Eastern European Chapter of the International Triple Helix Association https://www.triplehelixassociation.org (University of Stanford-initiated to enable university-industry-government cooperation) which can bring access to: a solid and outstanding scientific knowledge base on triple helix theoretical models for market-oriented innovation development and practices to develop effective triple helix interactions combined with an international reach (+1000 members and +3.000 qualified readers on 5 continents) for dissemination, promotion, peer learning and partnership development. Additionally, HELIXCONNECT is an official partner of the European Institute of Technology’s Deep Tech Pledge initiative through which it aims to build deep tech talent in Europe across various educational levels. Ultimately, HELIXCONNECT is also as an official partner of the European Union’s Bauhaus Initiative which provides access to a pan-EU network of civil engineers/architects, public authorities, designers, communities with expertise in sustainable and inclusive urban development. As part of the work that HELIXCONNECT does in Western Balkans, supporting just transitions and social wellbeing via equality and access to justice is of key importance. Therefore, HELIXCONNECT BALKANS is engaging (particularly in Serbia) in support of the initiatives that empower LGBTQI+ groups as well as social groups at risk by aiming to transform the entire ecosystem. Therefore, HELIXCONNECT BALKANS supports the EU Delegation to Serbia's efforts in bringing equal opportunities to all young people in the region.