Building Europe's Next Innovation Hub with Robert Lichtner (Danube Region)

Show notes

🎙️ Dr. Robert Lichtner, head of the Danube Strategy Point and Secretary of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, joined Prof. Dr. Zoltán Acs for a wide-ranging conversation on the cultural, economic, and political future of the Danube region. Together they explore the historical roots of Central European identity, the challenges and opportunities of EU enlargement, and the critical question facing Europe today: how to balance its regulatory traditions with the urgent need for digital transformation and entrepreneurial innovation.

From Slavic folklore to the legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, from pollution that crosses borders to startups that transcend national boundaries, this episode examines what unites 14 countries along the Danube and what divides them. Dr. Lichtner shares insights on macro-regional cooperation, the gradual integration of EU accession countries, and why the Danube strategy offers a practical model for working across borders on equal footing.

The conversation turns to Europe's competitive dilemma: as China leads in green technologies and the U.S. dominates in AI and digitalization, where does Europe and, specifically, the Danube region fit in? Zoltan Ács introduces the Digital Entrepreneur Ecosystem Index developed for the region, a diagnostic tool designed to guide policymakers through the transition ahead. The timing, as both guests agree, could not be more critical as Europe prepares its next multi-annual budget and countries negotiate their priorities for the coming years.

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