The overall project, "SIRA DANUBE - Connect Centres of Competences" aims to foster the competitiveness of Danube rural areas by enhancing the institutional set-up and appropriate means to capitalize knowledge and innovation by SMEs. For this, innovation hubs and knowledge brokerage, respectively Centres of Competences (CCs) for Smart and Innovative Rural Areas in the Danube region and their transnational network structure shall be established.The main objective of the START project is to develop the complete project plan and proposal for funding within the Danube Transnational Programme 2014-2020 for the overall project. Together with 10 already existing partners the draft concept needs to be specified, incl. legal and financial set-up, stakeholder involvement and national co-financing and sustainability of the CCs. Achievements: After a first study tour and preparatory interviews in summer 2014, the kick-off workshop for the SIRA DANUBE project took place in October in Osijek, Croatia. A broad panel of experts and colleagues from Danube riparian states and from other neighbouring partners in the Danube strategy elaborated the first steps to initiate competence centres to enhance economic viability and SME development in rural areas. 31 participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia attended a two days workshop organised by the Eastern Europe Centre of the University of Hohenheim and the Faculty of Agriculture, Osijek. Further concept development for the Centres of Competence will focus on strategic topics for SME development in agrifood value chains, green economy, natural resource management and local community development in rural areas.