Good practice:

Strategic Research and Innovation Partnerships (SRIP) - ICT Horizontal Network

In 2017, the Slovenian government established nine Strategic Research and Innovation Partnerships (SRIPs) and the ICT horizontal network (IKT_Hm) as support for all SRIPs. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia – Association of Informatics and Telecommunication is the coordinator of the IKT_Hm. The objective is providing support to the developmental activities of all SRIPs in the field of ICT, above all in the use and integration of ICT as enabling technologies. Cybersecurity is one of the six focus areas within the IKT_Hm. The IKT_Hm- Cyber Security offers the following activities to its members:
1. Initiation of projects to produce innovative concepts for security products and services development
2. Training and innovation workshops where participants from communities work together with the cyber specialists. Dissemination of knowledge to SRIP members to address cyber risk within their development projects.
3. Organization of the events or information for the members of cyber value chain, to be properly informed on opportunities.
The purpose of the development of cyber security field is to provide products and services for the comprehensive management of cyber risks in the economy and the public sector, both in the development phase and in the phase of operational use of ICT services, with the achievement of a high level of cyber maturity needed to successfully realize the objectives of digital transformation of enterprises and public sector.

Financing: 50% state, 50% membership fee; 3 phases of financing – 1) 9 months, call for proposals and the development of the action plan, 2) implementation of the activities, 3) funding depending on performance.
An existing vertical structure is needed in order the network would function.

There are 143 members of the IKT_Hm in the end of 2019 (mostly SMEs, knowledge institutions, and intermediary organisations).
Since 2017, more than 780 stakeholders (83 % enterprises, 79 % of them SMEs) joined IKT_Hm and their activities have already resulted in two new partnerships among members of IKT_Hm in the field of cybersecurity, and 10 partnerships with partners from other SRIPs. 7 pilot projects were initialised.

Lack of appropriate methods to facilitate the participation of users and service providers with knowledge organizations with the goal of new competitive products. Permanent structure should be established enabling regular meetings in order to build trust among stakeholders.

There is a high transfer potential, if there is an interest in cooperation in the region and political support for such a network. The practice presents a good model, especially as it has been initiated by state/regional authorities which are providing co-financing. Although it was foreseen that the IKT_Hm would be financially independent after the completion of the phase 3, the government had expressed interest in further financing of the network, as the network (together with the 9 vertical SRIPs) has a strategic role and is providing feedback to the government.