ACETI and Digital Innovation Hub of Moldova on the map of European digital innovation at Clusters Meet Regions Cluj

Ion Bodrug, president of the Association for the Development of Electronic Communications and Innovative Technologies (ACETI) and of the Digital Innovation Hub of Moldova, participates as a speaker at the Clusters Meet Regions conference, which takes place on July 1-2, 2025 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

This edition of the Clusters Meet Regions initiative puts the spotlight on the crucial role of clusters and digital innovation hubs in stimulating technology transfer and innovation in SMEs, as well as on their wider impact on regional development, digitalization, sustainability and interregional collaboration.

The President of ACETI and DIH of Moldova participated as a speaker in the thematic session “Clusters Driving Innovation and Digital Transformation within EDIHs”, together with leaders of innovation ecosystems in Europe – from Romania, Spain, Latvia and other countries. The panel explores how clusters and digital innovation hubs are working together to accelerate digital transformation, support SMEs and increase regional competitiveness.

In his speech, Ion Bodrug approached the unique perspective of an IHL operating in a non-EU country on the road to European integration, emphasizing the specific challenges and opportunities of this context, such as the obstacles related to access to direct European funding, the potential of Moldova to become a sandbox for testing European digital solutions in Eastern markets, the need for long-term strategic partnerships between Eastern European IHLs and EU EEDIHs.

“Our role as Digital Innovation Hub in a non-EU country is to be connectors and catalysts of digital transformation in the region. We believe that digitalization has no borders, and our partnerships with Romanian and European EDIHs are essential for bridging the innovation gap and increasing the competitiveness of Moldovan SMEs,” said Ion Bodrug.

The President of ACETI also presented models of effective collaboration with Romanian and Ukrainian HDIs, including concrete initiatives such as the “RO-MD-UA Cross-border Digital Route” – a platform for technological collaboration between non-EU regions and Romanian HDIs, which goes beyond political borders and focuses on regional development and functional integration, supporting SMEs in the region in the digitalization process.

The participation in Clusters Meet Regions strengthens the position of Moldovan entities as relevant actors in the wider European digital innovation network, demonstrating that digital solutions can build bridges between the European Union and the Eastern Neighborhood countries.