Opening up innovation potential in international cooperation is an important objective for the German Federal Government. International networking can increase success in international competition for German companies, research institutions and universities.

The Danube region has great potential for cooperation in the areas of research and innovation (R&I). Support for multilateral cooperation is a central element of the European Union's Strategy for the Danube Region, which provides a framework for improvements regarding socio-economic development, competitiveness, environmental management and resource-efficient growth of the Danube region. In its strategy adopted on 24 June 2011, the European Commission refers to research and innovation in the Danube region and their international potential which should be more fully exploited.

The aim of biomastecDanube Network co-financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is to support German universities, research institutions and companies to establish networks with excellent researchers and SMEs in the Danube States in order to develop and implement joint cooperation strategies and projects. It encourages stronger links between the leading innovative regions upstream and the developing regions downstream, thereby contributing to the successful implementation of the Danube region strategy. Further progress is to be made with the internationalisation of existing national competence networks. The aim is to encourage international links along the entire value-added chain in order to support technology transfer and innovation.