Introduction

The Pannon R+D+I+O Cluster, today called the System Science Innovation Cluster was established on 15 December 2006 with the participation of 6 founding members. Still valid today, the founders of the cluster formulated the mission of the cluster as follows:

‘The Founders create a cluster to ensure sustainable development and competitiveness, create an innovative and knowledge-based economy, strengthen businesses’ income generating capacity, develop business infrastructure and services, strengthen cooperation among economic players and research sites, promote utilisation-oriented research, development and innovation, apply research results and create value chains in order to create higher added value and higher quality products and services.’

Our cluster is composed of members operating in different sectors, their members are connected not through a common sector activity, but rather, by the fact that they operate in a sector where the basis of their operation, and as such, of their developments is provided by their operation in various IT systems, whether the member is a micro or small enterprise or a large corporation and whether they are specifically involved in IT, or in property protection, health care, financial processes or machinery manufacturing. The foundation of their operation is a service or production in some IT system (the ‘system’). This already represents a common sector, namely, information technology.

Our cluster has been holding the title of Accredited Innovation Cluster granted by the Hungarian Government, representing a prominent development policy rank, since 2008.

Our cluster has a total of 27 members; in terms of their operating premise, the members are typically located in Budapest and in the Central Transdanubian region.

Cluster members include 24 SMEs, 2 large corporations and in addition to the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), also the Insitute for Technical Physics and Materials Science of the Center for Energy Research of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) and the Óbuda University and Pannon University. The theme-based focus of the cluster is information technology, and as part of this, primarily software development and logistics. The aggregate sales revenues of member companies reached HUF 100 billion in 2015. Member companies directly employ several thousands employees. Through the implementation of their projects, they have recently created 101 new jobs.

The operating premise of our cluster is located in Balatonfüred, in the System Science Innovation Centre. Numerous clusters members as well as the businesses established by the cluster members are operating in that centre.

For companies working in identical fields, the Innovation Centre not only ensures office and training space capacities and a modern infrastructure, but also promotes cooperation and the creation of joint projects, technology knowledge transfer among companies and on university level, and the organisation of research and development as well as training activities in areas adjusted to the activities of the businesses.

The members of our cluster have established 5 joint project companies since the establishment of the cluster as part of which they have implemented major R+D projects with the close cooperation of several (typically 3 to 5) member companies for which they also used the grants available as part of the Economy Development Operative Programme (GOP).

These are:

  • VISUAL CMS project
  • HISCOM project
  • WEBSCADA project
  • DRÓTKÓRHÁZ project
  • LÉTLELET project

Member companies of the cluster also participated in other GOP tenders published for other innovation clusters. They used nearly HUF 5 billion of awarded grant during the implementation of the projects as part of more than 20 projects.