The Software Industry Innovation Pole Cluster was established in September 2007, mainly by the University of Szeged and its R&D-oriented IT companies. Since then, the Cluster has continuously developed and adapted to current trends. During Covid, this development stalled, but since then it has managed to catch up and even surpass the previous level.
With the advance of digitalisation, IT has become more and more a determining factor in the life of every company and an indispensable tool for development, so the Cluster is no longer composed of IT companies. The common focus remains a commitment to R&D, with a particular focus on digitalisation. Sustainability and the preparation of the younger generation have also become important elements.
The Cluster operates according to the following principles:
- Focus on growth processes based on internal resources
- Supporting bottom-up processes generated by universities and leading SME and non-SME companies in the software industry and other industries
- Cooperation based on mutual trust along the common goal
- Strategic organisation to strengthen longer-term relationships
The cooperating partners agree to operate the Cluster with the following objectives:
- strengthening cooperation between members, exploring new cooperation opportunities and creating business opportunities,
- engaging in collective advocacy,
- cooperation and participation in standardisation procedures and development plans,
- creating competitive technologies, products and services through coordinated and joint development,
- increase the turnover of enterprises, e.g. by increasing the share of exports in the case of SMEs,
- harmonising university research with the needs of businesses in software and other industries,
- to promote the commercial exploitation (domestic and international) of R&D results in software development,
- boosting innovation activity by facilitating the creation of new spin-off companies and attracting additional knowledge-intensive economic actors to the region,
- targeted human resource development, training and education for joint development
- to contribute to a knowledge-based, high added value economy through the development of the software industry
- the Cluster also aims to strengthen sustainability principles and operating models, primarily within the membership, not excluding businesses and individuals outside the membership, with a particular focus on young people and children
- develop close links with the younger generation through the active involvement of members.
The core activities of the Cluster:
- Continuous renewal of the cluster strategy
- Expanding R&D relations for business
- Managing joint education, training, research, development and service activities along value chains
- Supporting the creation, development and integration of spinoff companies into the Cluster
- Exploring export opportunities
- Benchmarking activities, setting up and running a benchmarking club
- Support for the organisation of joint purchases, services
- Design and maintain a website to promote external and internal communication.
- Communicating innovative results together
- Production of PR and advertising material
- Building partnerships, organising partner meetings at home and abroad
- Resource coordination and proposal preparation for the Cluster's objectives
- Creating opportunities for networking with the younger generation
- Strengthening national and international cluster relations to expand the partnerships of members
- Establishing cooperation with professional advocacy organisations
