European Digital Innovation Hubs

European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) are one-stop shops supporting companies and public sector organisations to respond to digital challenges and become more competitive.

EDIHs help companies use digital technologies to improve their business. They offer:

Access to technical expertise and testing, allowing companies to ‘try before they buy.’
Services like financing advice, training, and skills development, essential for digital transformation.
Support in tackling environmental issues, especially using digital technologies for sustainability.

EDIHs mix local benefits with a Europe-wide network. They are positioned to help local companies through their regional language and innovation ecosystem. They also share best practices across hubs in different countries and provide specialized services when local skills aren’t available.

Under the Digital Europe Programme, the first call for EDIHs projects ended with 136 selected, most starting in January 2023. A second call added 15 more hubs, likely starting by mid-2023. Funding for this program is split evenly between the Digital Europe Programme and the Member States, associated countries, regions, or private sources. National and regional authorities play a key role in selecting EDIHs.

EDIH candidates of high quality, not funded by the Digital Programme, received a Seal of Excellence. Some may be funded by their Member States or region and can join the network of EDIHs.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ACCELERATOR

The Digital Transformation Accelerator (DTA) is there to help the EDIH network. It supports the European Commission to build a strong group of hubs and stakeholders. The DTA encourages these groups to work together, share knowledge, and learn from each other. It also checks how much the EDIH network is helping organizations improve their digital technology use.

EDIH AND OTHER INITIATIVES

Many EDIHs comprise organizations that are part of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) or European Industrial Clusters (EIC). EDIHS need to establish strong links with these and other networks, like Start-up Europe, to offer seamless services to small and medium businesses in local and regional ecosystems.

EDIH OBJECTIVES

The EDIH network bolsters digital transformation by inspiring SMEs and public sector organizations to embrace the newest strides in Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and High-Performance Computing.

Can help ensure that every company, small or large, high-tech or not, can take advantage of digital opportunities.

Investing 7.5 billion euro in some 150 Digital Innovation Hubs across Europe as means to support businesses in their digital transformation.

Help companies become more competitive with regard to their business/production processes, products or services using digital technologies.

LOCATIONS

EDIHs seamlessly blend the advantages of regional presence with the extensive possibilities of a pan-European network. Their local foothold equips them excellently to cater to the unique needs of local companies, effectively utilizing the local language and innovation ecosystem.

But it doesn’t stop there. The expansive European network coverage fosters a rich exchange of best practices among hubs in various countries. More than that, it provides specialized services across regions when certain skills are scarce locally. This is the EDIH network – rooted locally but with a truly European reach.