Digital Innovation for Industry

Digital Innovation 

Boosting digital innovation in economy and society - an important enabler for the Green and Digital transition.

The recent global crisis incited by the COVID19 pandemic has recently pointed out the critical role of digitalisation and the benefits it can bring to the European economy. Europe’s digital future is progressively developed through dedicated policy actions and initiatives targeting and ensuring its successful digital transformation by 2030. Building upon the European Commission’s Digitising European Industry (DEI) strategy, the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL), launched late 2020, inaugurates the current financial period 2021-2027 in support of the digitalisation venture.

SMEs, the cornerstone of the EU economy, need to embark upon the digitalisation challenge and by introducing new innovative production processes, new business models and upgraded innovative products achieve their digital transformation. Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) aim to ensure that SMEs will benefit from advanced digital technologies (including Artificial Intelligence, High Performance Computing, Cybersecurity and Digital skills). As powerful policy tools they will support national/regional policy makers in implementing the regional innovation strategies (including S3/S4) and to facilitate the recovery of their economies.

European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) will present a more specific profile and funded by the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) they will incorporate both local and European functions forming a pan-European network ready to adress any digitalisation need of SMEs and beyond. EDIHs will be proposed by the respective Member States and apart from SMEs will also target public sector organisations to support them in their effort towards digitalisation. On top of the financing from the DIGITAL Programme the successful EDIHs will receive financial support by their respective Member State's national or regional authorities.

In more general terms the major funding mechanisms that aim to facilitate and ensure the wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society during the new programming period 2021-2027 are:
 
  • Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL), a 7.5 billion EUR investment mechanism which will fuel projects in the areas of supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and advanced digital skills
  • HORIZON Europe, an ambitious investment programme for R&D, a proven success story with high added value for the European socioeconomic landscape that will be renewed for the next financial period 2021-2027
  • European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) decentralised Cohesion funds and Next Generation EU funding mechanisms which aim to mitigate the economic and social impact of the COVID19 pandemic and make European economies and societies more sustainable, resilient and better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the green and digital transitions.

Related links

EU docs

For more information about the new Digital Strategy of the European Commission, proposed actions to achieve the EU Digital Decade 2030 and the policy framework related to Digitalisation of European Industry and the European Digital Innovation Hubs initiative you are invited to consult the following EC documents.
Europe's Digital Decade 2030_09.03.21.pdf
English
(719 KB - PDF)
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Europe fit for the Digital Age Commission proposes new rules and actions for excellence and trust in Artificial Intelligence_21.04.21.pdf
English
(64 KB - PDF)
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Communication on Fostering a European approach to Artificial Intelligence 21.04.2021.pdf
English
(449 KB - PDF)
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Annex to Digital Compass_09.03.21.pdf
English
(344 KB - PDF)
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Digitising European Industry (DEI) Strategy 19.04.2016.pdf
English
(549 KB - PDF)
Download 

More information

For more details regarding the EU Digital Strategy overall please click on the link below.

Contact

If you wish to contact the JRC DIH TEAM please send us an email in the address below.

Latest news

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Events

EVENT |
European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) and the digital transition of regions
The workshop is targeting regional/national policy makers and DIH/EDIH stakeholders with main objectives: a) update them on the state-of-play of the development of the network of EDIHs in Member States and regions funded by the DIGITAL Programme b) present a new tool on measuring digital maturity...
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Publications

PUBLICATION |
Digital Innovation Hubs as Policy Instruments to boost digitalisation of SMEs

Building upon the knowledge gained during the last two years on how Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) operate in different regional socioeconomic contexts this practical handbook aims to provide national/regional policy makers and/or existing DIH managers useful and structured information on how to...

Kalpaka A., Sorvik J., Tasigiorgou A.
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