Smart Specialisation Strategy 2023-2029

1.1 Principles of smart specialisation

Smart specialisation combines broad innovation policies with specific sectoral activities to build critical mass in diverse ecosystems, and requires close collaboration between government, research institutions, and businesses in deciding which areas deserve targeted support. It prioritises existing capabilities while targeting future opportunities and relies on entrepreneurial discovery processes and effective governance structures to succeed, particularly important for emerging economies like Croatia that must strengthen institutional capacity while managing EU funding.

1.2 Smart specialisation in Croatia

Croatia's 2023-2029 smart specialisation strategy builds on its first cycle (2016-2020) while accounting for pandemic effects, regional imbalances, and transition economy challenges, aiming to contribute to the EU cohesion policy objective of a smarter Europe. The strategy tailors smart specialisation to Croatia's economic conditions through enhanced policy granularity, stronger entrepreneurial discovery, and improved implementation flexibility and monitoring. To address unequal regional development, the strategy includes industrial transition measures for three NUTS 2 regions with GDP below 75% of the EU average, with transition plans prepared through bottom-up processes to help these regions leverage territorial assets, overcome deindustrialisation challenges, and create greater added value.

2.1 Principles for developing S3 2023-2029

The Smart Specialisation Strategy 2023-2029 aims to update the national innovation system, refine thematic priorities through sectoral analysis and entrepreneurial discovery, create an integrated programme framework, and strengthen governance for green transition and digital transformation of the Croatian economy, with smart specialisation strategies serving as conditions for accessing EU research and innovation funding under the 2021-2027 financial framework. The strategy must meet seven criteria including updated analysis of innovation and digitalisation barriers, responsible managing institutions, monitoring and evaluation tools, effective entrepreneurial discovery, activities for improving research and innovation systems where applicable, activities for managing industrial transition where applicable, and measures for cooperation with international partners; managing authorities must report annually to the European Commission on implementation of the monitoring, evaluation, and entrepreneurial discovery process based on an implementation action plan. Goals are assigned metrics and indicators with target values connected to a change theory logic, with key milestones required in 2024, though some indicators lack 2024 milestones because their interventions are expected to produce results only after 2024.

2.2 Stakeholder engagement

The entrepreneurial discovery process is the central continuous mechanism for stakeholder engagement throughout the strategy cycle, informed by a survey of 2,851 stakeholder contacts and four modules covering respondent information, capacities, opportunities and project ideas. Two cycles of workshops with 160 and 154 participants from business, academia and public administration identified transformation goals and development plans for thematic areas, with a new Digital products and platforms priority area emerging from 340 stakeholders' consultation and receiving a new Thematic Innovation Council. At NUTS 2 level, 117 meetings involving 2,332 participants from counties, regional agencies, companies, civil society and knowledge institutions applied partnership principles through Coordination Councils, working groups and triple helix leadership groups to identify regionally specific priority niches and transformation development plans for industrial transition in Pannonian, Northern and Adriatic Croatia.

2.3 Connection with other research and sectoral policies

The strategy aligns with Croatia's national development strategy through two development directions: sustainable economy and society, and balanced territorial development. It operationalizes competitive and innovative economy goals including green and digital industry, entrepreneurship, science and technology development, sustainable tourism, and culture and media, as well as regional competitiveness through smart specialisation and smart cities. The strategy also incorporates reforms and investments from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to support green and digital transition.

3.1 Global perspectives and trends

The world economy faces uncertain recovery from COVID-19 due to geopolitical tensions and the Ukraine conflict, with global growth forecasts revised downward to 2.9% in 2022. Long-term global growth is expected to slow because of lower productivity growth and declining working-age populations, but digital technologies and innovations offer significant economic potential to address productivity challenges. The document describes emerging digital technologies including the Internet of Things for connecting physical devices and automating tasks; artificial intelligence for analyzing data and making autonomous decisions; blockchain for secure and decentralized data management; and cloud and data services for accessible computing infrastructure and processing large data volumes in real time.

3.2 Research and innovation efficiency

Croatia aims to increase income per capita to match the EU average (at 70% of EU27 average in 2021) through economic resilience and productivity improvements, but faces structural challenges including heavy reliance on low and medium-low technology industries with only 0.6 percentage point annual productivity growth versus 2 or more in comparable Central and Eastern European countries. As an emerging innovator ranking 22nd in the EU at 69.6% of the EU average, Croatia struggles with low research impact (only 4.2% of publications in the top 10% globally versus EU average of 11.1%), limited international collaboration, and fragmentation across 122 higher education institutions and 25 public research institutes; it ranks 25th of 28 EU members in Horizon 2020 funding absorption with 130 million euros total, participates in multiple EU research organisations including CERN (associate member since 2019) and EMBL (member since 2006), and has allocated 7 billion kuna for research infrastructure development. Croatia also faces weak business-science collaboration (only 1% of higher education research and development financed by enterprises), low patent applications, underdeveloped early-stage financing markets dominated by bank financing, and limited knowledge-intensive exports, though innovation sales improved from 4.9% in 2016 to 11.5% in 2020.

3.3 Green transition

Croatia's greenhouse gas emissions remain below EU average and renewable energy share exceeds EU targets, but circular economy practices lag with packaging waste recovery among Europe's lowest rates; 40% of COVID-19 recovery funds (totalling 2.717 billion euros: 789 million for energy efficiency and building renovation, 728 million for sustainable transport and rail, 658 million for clean energy and carbon capture, and 542 million for sustainable tourism and green technologies) are directed to green transition. The Smart Specialisation Strategy treats sustainability as a horizontal theme across all thematic priority areas and directs investment towards key enabling technologies and research, development and innovation for carbon-intensive industries in transport, energy, agriculture and resource management, emphasising that green transition requires cross-sectoral transformation involving carbon-neutral transport and energy systems alongside circular and climate-mitigating practices in agriculture and resource management.

3.4 Digitalisation

Croatia ranks 6th in e-health, 9th in business digitalisation, and 21st in the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) among EU member states as of 2022, with moderate progress but significant gaps in digital skills and gender digital divide, while the National Recovery and Resilience Plan allocates 20% of funds to digitalisation including 287 million euros for judiciary digitalisation, state information infrastructure, digital ID cards, smart working, cyber security and public cloud services, 126 million euros for rural broadband connectivity, and 84 million euros for e-learning, alongside support for commercial digitalisation through digital innovation centres, digital adoption programmes and business vouchers. Digital technologies are applied across all Smart Specialisation Strategy priority areas including autonomous and data-driven transport solutions, remote health care, energy optimisation, and precision agriculture, with a new thematic priority area on digital products and platforms to transform the ICT sector, as digital transformation accelerated during COVID-19 requires states to support integrated smart systems development.

3.5 Skills for smart specialisation

Smart specialisation in Croatia requires development of professional, entrepreneurial, digital and green competencies to improve research, innovation and business capacity, though Croatia faces a 5.2 percentage point gap in vocational graduate employment (73.9 percent versus EU27 average of 79.1 percent) and scores below OECD averages in mathematical literacy and below EU averages in digital skills. Croatia has undertaken vocational education reform with 131 modular curricula aligned to the Croatian Qualifications Framework and established online learning platforms, with existing strategic frameworks addressing gaps in entrepreneurial, green and research skills. A comprehensive response is needed to address skill shortages through activities that complement existing knowledge, train new generations, strengthen entrepreneurial competencies, provide occupation-specific training for small and medium enterprises, and engage higher education in the innovation ecosystem.

3.6 Industrial transition of Croatian regions

Regional economies in Croatia undergo deep industrial transformation driven by globalisation, security challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic, and digital and green transitions, with significant disparities between Zagreb City (33.5 percent of entrepreneurs, 38.4 percent of employees, 50 percent of total revenues in 2019) and three transition regions (Pannonian, Adriatic and Northern Croatia). The strategy addresses key challenges in these transition regions including inefficient entrepreneurship ecosystems, underdeveloped business infrastructure, low private sector research and development investment, workforce outflow, insufficient job preparation, and weak capacity for green and digital transition, with transition plans defining investment priorities through regional ecosystems, strategic innovation partnerships and skills development pacts. Through an entrepreneurial discovery process, strategic priority niches were identified and grouped into regional value chains addressing blue growth, green growth, health, smart industries, high-value services, food and agriculture, creative industries, and vehicle manufacturing, serving as tools for directing European cohesion funds and defining regional specialisation directions.

3.7 Smart specialization: problem-driven approach

Frames smart specialization policies as addressing income lag and economic vulnerability to external shocks through improved research quality, science-business linkage, and innovation impact. Identifies additional factors outside smart specialization scope affecting the central problem, particularly weak business dynamism and inefficient regulatory frameworks that hinder market entry and exit, capital allocation, and competition across product and service sectors.

3.8 Measures for improving international partnerships

Establishes international cooperation requirements for smart specialization research, development and innovation activities, involving knowledge exchange, joint project implementation, and value chain participation. Describes Croatian instruments for strengthening international collaboration including Union programme participation, cross-border and transnational investment coordination, macro-regional strategies, and engagement with innovation initiatives and strategic European partnerships.

4.1 Vision

Programme interventions are expected to improve overall innovation performance and capacity in Croatia, measured by an innovation index, research and development spending as a percentage of GDP, and European innovation rankings. Funding for research, innovation and entrepreneurship will be directed toward identified opportunities in the research and business sectors from multiple sources including structural funds, national and operational resources.

4.2 Goals and interventions

The strategy addresses three key factors: the research sector must generate cutting-edge knowledge with spillover effects to the economy; scientific and business sectors must interact more to encourage technology transfer and research-based innovation; and businesses must strengthen capacity and efficiency in both research-based and non-research-based innovation to boost competitiveness. These priorities are translated into three specific objectives that contribute directly to the overall vision.

1. 4.2.1 Posebni cilj 1: Poboljšanje znanstvene izvrsnosti

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2. 4.2.2 Posebni cilj 2: Premošćivanje jaza između istraživačkog i poslovnog sektora

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3. 4.2.3 Posebni cilj 3: Povećanje inovacijske učinkovitosti

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4. 4.2.4 Veza između horizontalne politike i logike tematskih prioritetnih područja

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5.1 Personalized healthcare

This priority area covers healthcare production and services, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical equipment, prevention and treatment procedures, and associated services. It extends to medical and dental tourism and integrates ICT companies as key drivers of sector efficiency and innovation such as e-health solutions. The EU budget emphasizes healthcare innovation and provides significant funding for disease prevention, crisis preparedness, medicines and devices, and digitalization.

1. 5.1.1 Globalne perspektive i trendovi

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2. 5.1.2 Kapaciteti

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5.2 Smart and clean energy

This priority area covers modern energy technologies and solutions designed to be efficient, remotely monitored, and environmentally acceptable. It includes smart energy systems combining electric, heat, and gas networks; renewable energy equipment manufacturing; waste management and conversion; carbon capture technologies; and testing and assessment services. Green thermal capacity such as geothermal energy and natural heating are explicitly included.

1. 5.2.1 Globalne perspektive i trendovi

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2. 5.2.2 Kapaciteti

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5.3 Smart and green transport

This priority covers transport industries including manufacturers of road, rail, maritime, river, underwater, air and space components and systems; turnkey transport products; and intelligent transport systems. It encompasses technologies that reduce environmental impact, automation and safety technologies, electric and alternative power systems, and the development and integration of managed and autonomous drones for cargo, passenger transport and economic activities. The EU has allocated substantial funding for transport infrastructure supporting this transition.

1. 5.3.1 Globalne perspektive i trendovi

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2. 5.3.2 Kapaciteti

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5.4 Security and dual-use technology

This priority covers defence dual-use products, cybersecurity, disaster management and integrated ICT security solutions. It includes manufacturers of personal protective equipment, communications and command systems, natural and technical disaster management, and special-purpose vehicles; also advanced materials and coatings for dual-use products and secure infrastructure. Dual-use refers to security solutions and technologies developed through military or police expertise but adapted for civilian applications.

1. 5.4.1 Globalne perspektive i trendovi

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2. 5.4.2 Kapaciteti

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5.5 Sustainable and circular food

This priority covers food production, processing and supporting services, encompassing agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture. The strategy aims to transition from linear to sustainable and circular food systems: reduce carbon footprint, promote circular economy, encourage short-distance production and processing, prevent food waste, and minimize emissions and resource degradation across complex supply chains. The food sector is identified as a significant contributor to climate change requiring greater efficiency and resource effectiveness.

1. 5.5.1 Globalne perspektive i trendovi

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2. 5.5.2 Kapaciteti

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5.6 Tailored and integrated timber products

This thematic priority encompasses stakeholders in forestry, wood production, processing and manufacturing. It covers both upstream sectors, such as forest management and production of sawn timber, and downstream sectors including design, production and marketing of wood products for mass and specialized markets.

1. 5.6.1 Globalne perspektive i trendovi

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2. 5.6.2 Kapaciteti

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5.7 Digital products and platforms

This thematic priority covers parts of ICT and creative industries that derive significant added value from IT-related services, including custom and off-the-shelf software, software-as-a-service, artificial intelligence and big data solutions, gaming, creative metaverse opportunities, development tools, fintech, blockchain, educational technology, smart city solutions, and ICT equipment manufacturers with embedded software, as well as research opportunities in quantum communication infrastructure.

1. 5.7.1 Globalne perspektive i trendovi

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2. 5.7.2 Kapaciteti

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3. 5.7.3 Tržišne mogućnosti

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4. 5.7.4 Transformacijski cilj i indikativne intervencije

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6.1 Monitoring results framework

The strategy includes qualitative and quantitative indicators aligned to objectives and applying CART principles (credibility, actionability, responsibility, transportability) to track progress, with mandatory indicators consolidated by intervention type and objective and meeting European cohesion fund requirements. Inter-institutional management structures must agree on a unified approach to measuring indicators when deviations occur, with the Inter-ministerial Working Group and the S3 Implementation and Monitoring Unit ensuring consistent application across implementing bodies. Target values are set for 2029 with key milestones for 2024 based on financial allocations and previous programme experience, and each individual intervention will have its own change theory, monitoring framework, and additional indicators and targets.

6.2 Process indicators

Process indicators measure operational efficiency of program management and administration, tracking metrics such as grant allocation rates, delays in allocations, project completion rates, payment rates and financial correction rates across all S3 interventions, with standardized data collection on users, projects and financing.

6.3 Data collection

Applicants must complete surveys at application and post-implementation stages to gather baseline values for performance indicators, with reporting requirements applying regardless of whether support is awarded. Surveys are designed to be simple, minimize administrative burden, and eventually become machine-readable to reduce processing costs, enabling comparisons between beneficiaries and comparable non-supported groups.

6.4 Reporting

Regular periodic and annual reporting at the S3 level provides the national implementation body with current information on activities, progress, results and achievement of targets and indicators. Reports are prepared in summary and detailed versions, with the unit for S3 policy implementation and monitoring coordinating templates approved by the interministerial council, covering the overall S3 level and individual thematic priorities and sectoral transition plans.

6.5 Monitoring at thematic priority area level

Monitoring of achievements at each thematic priority area will rely on a theory of change framework and specific indicators for individual area goals and horizontal interventions. Management bodies will develop detailed result frameworks during implementation, adjust priorities based on progress assessments, and introduce corrective measures for underperforming areas, using input from inter-agency working groups and thematic innovation councils.

6.6 Institutional framework

Programme leaders in implementing institutions work with programme users to collect and clarify data and identify operational problems, with data consolidated by implementing bodies and the S3 Implementation and Monitoring Unit at national level for use by the National Innovation Council in making strategic and budgetary decisions. The monitoring system relies on effective data flow between governance levels, with external evaluators assessing impact through result and performance indicators, and a dedicated unit within HAMAG-BICRO providing analytical support and coordinating data collection.

7.1 S3 upravljanje

The National Innovation Council serves as the central S3 management body coordinating research and innovation policies with enhanced roles including coordination across institutions and regular discussions on implementation and reform, supported by an S3 Implementation and Monitoring Unit established within HAMAG-BICRO to provide analytical and technical support, conduct continuous entrepreneurial discovery, coordinate with the Croatian Science Foundation, and analyse system-wide research and innovation performance. The Implementation and Monitoring Unit tracks strategy performance by collecting and analysing data from research and innovation institutions, produces regular monitoring reports, and coordinates external evaluation through the Croatian Science Foundation with evaluation reports requiring inter-ministerial working group approval before national innovation council submission, while supporting continuous entrepreneurial discovery through annual reporting on technology and innovation platform activities. The national innovation council is supported by an inter-ministerial working group of state officials from economy and science ministries and public administration representatives who monitor strategy progress and coordinate between policy makers and implementation bodies, and consults with three advisory councils (the Innovation Council for Industry on research investment and competitiveness, the National Council for Science, Higher Education and Technological Development on science and technology policy, and the National Council for Human Development on innovation skills), with regional coordination councils for Pannonian, Adriatic and Northern Croatia regions responsible for developing and monitoring industrial transition plans towards higher value-added activities under Ministry of Regional Development support.

7.2 Entrepreneurial discovery process management and co-creation of policies

Smart specialisation drives structural change through targeted research and innovation investments in priority areas reflecting existing strengths and transformation opportunities, but since innovation outcomes remain uncertain and require specific public inputs, policymakers must address significant information gaps by involving stakeholders in the discovery process.

1. 7.2.1 Načela kontinuiteta EDP-a

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2. 7.2.2 Tematska inovacijska vijeća

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7.3 Upravljanje provedbom

Implementation management is an inter-ministerial and inter-agency matter requiring active coordination across multiple funding sources (national development programmes, European structural and investment funds, national budget) with different implementation arrangements for each source; the national innovation council will discuss implementation bottlenecks and propose corrective actions to the authorised implementing body. Implementation is organised around innovation lifecycle phases: the ministry responsible for science designs interventions for lower technology readiness levels (TRL 1-5) including pre-commercial research and research-to-market transition, while the ministry responsible for economy handles higher development levels (TRL 5-9) and innovation capacity support, with regular coordination meetings between the national innovation council and implementing bodies. The Croatian Science Foundation and the Agency for Small Business will adjust their scope: the science foundation will focus on lower TRL levels while the agency will cover higher TRL levels regardless of user type, maintaining regular coordination meetings.

Bibliography

Indicative programme interventions: Annex I (part 7)

The section covers programmatic interventions organized under Specific Objective 1 across nine key areas: improving scientific excellence through frontier research, young researcher mobility and establishment projects at Ruđer Bošković Institute; research infrastructure investment and research-business collaboration led by the Ministry of Science and Education; business sector traineeships, proof-of-concept support, and SME research and development support at technology readiness levels 5-8 by the Croatian Science Foundation and Ministry of Science and Education; innovation vouchers, international innovation program participation, tax incentive reforms, early-stage product development grants at technology readiness levels 5-8, and venture capital financing by the Ministry of the Economy and Ministry of Finance; capital market reforms, accelerator programs, and entrepreneurial skills support including women and young entrepreneurs by the Ministry of the Economy and Ministry of Finance; digital transformation vouchers for SMEs, digital innovation centres, European Digital Innovation Hubs, STEM and ICT training programs, and digital transformation and artificial intelligence plans; advanced training and mentoring in specialized skills, technology transfer programs for students and researchers, advisory support for SMEs, and capacity building for business support organizations; and commercialization support through supply chain establishment, SME internationalisation activities, international product certifications, and a new plan to improve public innovation support programs with simplified procedures.

Financing sources and timeline: Annex Ia (part 1)

This section presents indicative financial allocations in EUR from ERDF, national public and private sources for programme interventions under Objectives 1.1-1.3 on research financing and infrastructure (2021-2028) and Special Objective 3 on innovation efficiency (2022-2028), along with definitions of output, outcome and result indicators for measuring performance across research excellence, early-career researcher capacity, research infrastructure, technology transfer (including start-ups, spin-offs up to 3 years old, and licensing agreements), industrial research and development, business skills development in technical, managerial, entrepreneurial, green and other categories, digitalization and green transition, and enterprise support for quality management, commercialisation, internationalisation and supply chain integration. Research jobs are counted as full-time equivalents excluding unfilled positions and support staff, young researchers are defined as doctoral or postdoctoral researchers up to 7 years after earning a doctorate, and an innovation plan will be adopted to increase efficiency and effectiveness of public support.

Evaluation activities and mid-term review

External independent experts will evaluate the strategy's impact and provide evidence-based improvement recommendations to institutional stakeholders, the National Innovation Council and the public. Mid-term evaluation in 2024-2025 will examine design, management, implementation progress and early results against planned objectives and key milestones, with each Thematic Innovation Council reviewing its priority area's sustainability and able to propose changes to transformation goals, change theory or programme interventions, with documented decisions made by the National Innovation Council. Ex-post evaluation in 2029-2030 will measure results and impact using quantitative and qualitative analysis of major interventions, comparing outcomes for supported beneficiaries against a control group of non-recipients to assess attribution and changes in target groups' attitudes and performance, with programme leaders identifying needed data during call preparation and including participant consent for confidential use of applicant data in evaluation.

Smart transport, security, food and wood specializations

The strategy establishes a new thematic priority programme area for Digital Products and Platforms to develop ICT solutions as products or tools for horizontal application across existing thematic areas (personalised healthcare, smart and clean energy, smart and green transport, security and disaster management, cybersecurity, and sustainable circular food production), addressing the ICT sector's need to independently develop solutions at pace with global technology trends. All ICT solutions must clearly contribute to their application thematic priority programme's transformation goals, created through systematic creative work meeting Frascati criteria with uncertain outcomes producing novel, reproducible, transferable product-like outcomes, and must be classified by whether they have direct primary or exclusive application within existing thematic priority programmes or fall under the new Digital Products and Platforms thematic priority programme if not fitting elsewhere. Research and development priorities span personalised e-health and m-health technologies using health data and remote monitoring, smart and clean energy management through software and control systems with advanced sensors for smart and micro grids, smart transport infrastructure with lifecycle management, traffic management, data analysis, toll collection and signalling technologies alongside autonomous vehicle systems with big data analysis and real-time tracking, security and disaster management through integrated ICT systems for threat prevention and risk management using low-power long-distance communications and unmanned vehicles, cybersecurity addressing threat prevention and disaster response using big data analytics and blockchain, and digital agriculture through automation, robotics, smart sensors, blockchain and IoT, plus broader digital solutions including advanced communications platforms, artificial intelligence, machine learning, edge computing, VR/AR platforms, cloud solutions, IT modules, robotic process automation, ERP systems, gaming, fintech and educational technologies.

Regional value chains and S3 thematic priorities

This section maps regional value chains and priority niches in Pannonian, Northern, and Adriatic Croatia to the strategy's thematic priority areas. Each region's value chains such as agrifood, green growth, smart and creative industries, tourism, healthcare, and services are linked to corresponding thematic priority areas including sustainable food, smart and clean energy, smart and green transport, digital products, and security. This section continues the mapping of regional value chains to thematic priority areas, completing the linkages for all three regions by listing the corresponding S3 thematic priorities for each regional value chain and priority niche.

Guidelines for managing entrepreneurial discovery: survey questions 8-11

Croatia's entrepreneurial discovery process for smart specialisation requires continuous stakeholder engagement through thematic innovation councils, which identify priority areas, define transformation objectives, and develop complementary transformation development plans through structured discovery mechanisms including surveys and workshops. The National Innovation Council approves priority area changes based on background analysis and workshop outcomes, with transformation development plans remaining stable except at mid-term evaluations after three to four years, while the Implementation and Monitoring Unit manages electronic information systems, real-time monitoring using general indicators and economic data, and coordination between councils and policy-makers to track project progress and implement corrective measures. Entrepreneurial discovery workshops must include diverse quadruple helix participants (science, policy, industry, society) proposing up to five transformation opportunities and five project ideas per organization, with respondents able to choose anonymity levels and videoconferencing enabled for remote participation.