New ‘Inotek’ Innovation Centre will develop Moldova’s digital economy and skills
Date: 09/06/23
A new innovation hub has opened in Cahul, Moldova, for anyone wishing to develop their digital skills and start a career in ICT. The Inotek Innovation Centre was launched on 17 May 2023, as part of the EU-funded ‘EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul’ project. It has been established in partnership with Bogdan Petriceicu Hașdeu State University in Cahul.
The Inotek Innovation Centre combines innovation, education and entrepreneurship. It offers various opportunities for the development and exploitation of human capital in the region and supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and local startups. The EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova estimates that over 14,000 students from the southern region of the Republic of Moldova could join the activities that will take place at Inotek.
The centre uses 295 square metres of renovated classrooms at Cahul State University. The space has been designed to increase creativity, innovation, inclusion and equal access to development opportunities. It offers access to the latest technologies and relevant training programmes.
At the Inotek launch event, European Union Ambassador Janis Mažeiks said that the opening of the EU Innovation Centre is particularly important at a time when the Republic of Moldova is firmly on the European path, and in the year when we are celebrating the European Year of Skills. He added that, once roaming charges are eliminated, reconnaissance spaces are created and identifiers or signatures exchanged electronically, training will be provided for SMEs to improve competitiveness.
What Inotek will offer
Inotek is planned to become a meeting place for young innovators, entrepreneurs and information and communication technology professionals. The centre’s headquarters will have modern equipment and be adapted to the current conditions in the field of education and entrepreneurship.
Once launched, Inotek will introduce other relevant elements: career counselling for Ukrainian refugee girls and women, provided by the eGovernment Agency; courses on programming and robotics for children of different ages; continuous training programmes for teachers and civil servants from all over the region; and a wide variety of courses to help those who want to learn a trade of the future.
The EU Innovation Centre Inotek will be managed by the EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul project team, and then by the Inotek Foundation, which will develop projects to support economic development in this southern region. These projects will support innovation and entrepreneurship, create new jobs and improve the quality of life in the community.
In total, around 700 entrepreneurs have already benefited from the ‘EU4Moldova: Startup City Cahul’ project programmes.
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