Digital Innovation Hubs

Description

The Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) Andalucía Agrotech is an ecosystem created to help companies in the digitisation process of the agri-food sector. This hub gathers the needs of the agri-food sector, technological services provided by ICT companies, the innovation capacity of knowledge agents and public programmes promoted by the public administration to provide support. The DIH Andalucía Agrotech has been designed to be an instrument to speed-up the implementation of digitization in the agri-food value chain and to provide, in the first phase, the necessary training.

The DIH Andalucía Agrotech is a centre of activity to create, anticipate and channel digital innovation in the agri-food sector, that provides the best conditions to enable sector companies achieve business success in the long-term. It is: 
    • an ecosystem. The Hub has to be understood as a connector and facilitator of all the actors involved in agro-technology. It is the place where the experience and know-how of farmers, livestock producers or agro-industrial experts converge with the innovative talent of technological entrepreneurs, all together with the support of the public sector, as well as with partners and stakeholders of technological and agri-food areas.
    • a one-stop shop. The Hub has to act as a pool of people, resources and tools (financing, talent, processes, methodologies, knowledge, employment, alliances, etc.), that is to say, it has to be the contact point for all the companies, people and actors related to the agri-food sector and to the implementation of digital technologies in this sector.
    • based on Competence Centres. They offer technological infrastructures, provide access to the latest knowledge, experiences and technologies to support their customers with pilot, test or experimental projects using digital innovations.
    • a provider of financial or business support to implement innovations.
    • a platform. It will be a physical and digital platform that will enable the effective collaboration between the actors of the Hub and will make resources available to them according to the working models established. 
    • the first regional contact point. Proximity is key to strengthen the innovation ecosystem.
    • a regional and international benchmark hub in the field of agro-technology. Bearing in mind the global environment currently existing, the DIH has to have a double scope: on the one hand, it must be centred on the digitization of the agri-food businesses of Andalusia and, on the other hand, it must work to connect them to other businesses at national and European levels; it must promote the cooperation of actors at regional level, but it must also be a point to generate alliances between our regional initiatives and others beyond our regional borders.
    • a driver of change. Boosting the digitisation of the agri-food sector is a fundamental task, but not an end in itself. It is a powerful way to not only achieve the competitive improvement of the sector but also to obtain positive social and environmental impacts. 

******

 The Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) Andalucía Agrotech is an ecosystem created to help companies in the digitisation process of the agri-food sector with a non-profit character. This hub gathers the needs of the agri-food sector, technological services provided by ICT companies, the innovation capacity of knowledge agents and public programmes promoted by the public administration to provide support. The DIH Andalucía Agrotech has been designed to be an instrument to speed-up the implementation of digitisation in the agri-food value chain and to provide, in the first phase, the necessary training.

This DIH Andalucía Agrotech is a centre of activity to create, anticipate and channel digital innovation in the agri-food sector, that provides the best conditions to enable sector companies achieve business success in the long-term.

We can conclude in this respect that this DIH Andalucía Agrotech is a non-profit ecosystem with non-profit aims.

Contact Data

Coordinator (Regional government)

Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development of Andalusia
http://juntadeandalucia.es/organismos/agriculturapescaydesarrollorural.html

Year Established

2017

Location

Tabladilla s/n, 41071, Sevilla (Spain)

Website

https://www.andaluciaagrotech.com/

Social Media

Contact information

Dª Cristina de Toro Navero
dih.andalucia.agrotech@juntadeandalucia.es
+34610577238

Technologies

• Micro/nano electronics
• Sensory systems
• Photonics and imaging technologies
• Screens and display technologies
• Communication networks
• Cyber physical systems
• Robotics
• Internet of things
• Artificial intelligence
• Mobility & Location based technologies
• Interaction technologies
• Cyber security
• Advanced, or high performance computing
• Big data, data analytics, data handling
• Virtual, augmented and extended reality
• Simulation, modelling and digital twins
• Gamification
• Software as a service and service architectures
• Cloud computing
• Additive manufacturing
• Laser based manufacturing
• Logistics
• Internet services

Link to national or regional initiatives for digitising industry

First of all,  it is important to explain that the S3P Agrifood Thematic Partnership on Traceability and Big Data in the agrifood value chain is a strategic alliance of regions and other entities that work together with the aim of contribute to the digitisation of the agrifood value chain through the adoption of digital technologies and the value creation from data.

It is coordinated and lead by the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development of the Junta de Andalucía (Spain) and co-lead by Emilia Romagna Region (Italy).
The Partnership, created in 2016, is formed by 20 European regions that contribute with the Partnership with their regional ecosystems (nodes) to promote, motivate and facilitate the incorporation of digital technologies in the agrifood sector value chains for going forward in the digital economy. These nodes, formed by the quadruple helix: companies, competence centres, public administrations, etc. are adopting the form of regional DIHs.
It is important to mention that this Partnership on T&BD, constituted under the Smart Specialization Strategy (RIS3) framework coordinated by the DG Regio (JRC), has provide an opportune framework for preparing to Andalucía as Region towards a step further in their process towards the creation of this DIH Andalucía Agrotech, due to the previous experience of creating regional nodes.

Thus, it is a fact that this DIH Andalucía Agrotech is part of policy initiatives at all levels since is aligned with the RIS3 policies, with the innovation and research European policies – Digitising European Industry Initiative as key element of the Digital Single Market strategy, with the innovation and research national policies – such as Connected Industry 4.0 in Spain -, and with the regional priorities established in the Smart Specialisation Strategies of Andalucía.

Finally, it should be highlighted that the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development of the Junta de Andalucía is directly involved in this hub and has played a key role in the establishment of this DIH, that support the digital transformation of the agrifood sector in Andalucía.

Please see below some of the EU funded projects and initiatives where this ecosystem has taken part in:

Market and Services

Customers

Number of customers annually

>50

Type of customers

SMEs (<250 employees)

Partners

• INNOVASUR
• IBM España
• MUEVO
• Gabinete de Iniciativas Europeas S.A. (GIESA)
• Universidad de Almeria
  Research & Technology organization
  
• AGROSAP Soluciones Agrícolas de Precisión S.L.
• Anserlog
• UCA-UCE Union de Consumidores de Andalucia
• SLU
• GMV innovating Solutions
• BYNSE (grupo SERMICRO)
• Inventia Agrarica SL
• ITSOFT (innovatelecom)
• Internet of Things
• Universidad de Cádiz
• HP Enterprise
• Evenor-Tech
• ec2ce
• Eman Ingenieria
• Universidad de Sevilla
• Bioazul
• IRSOLAV: Investigaciones y Recursos Solares Avanzados
• Heimdall Technologies
• MGS SOFT
• Universidad de Málaga
• co2 Consulting
• nDevices
• Finanzas & I+D+i
• HISPATEC
  SME
  https://www.hispatec.es/
• BO TRUE ACTIVITIES SL
• Global
• Universidad de Córdoba
• Grupo de Desarrollo Rural Guadajoz y Campiña Este de Córdoba
• TELEFONICA
  Large enterprise
  https://www.telefonica.com/es/home
• AgroBigDate Solutions S.L.
• AMETIC
• AgroBigDate Solutions S.L.
• Andaltec
• ATOS
• Bluumi
• Fujitsu
  Large enterprise
  http://www.fujitsu.com/se/
• Itelligent
• Kodysa Grupo
• Kowat
• Metadology
• Pri Ops Ciencia de Datos S.L.
• RSC Talent 2016, S.L.
• S-dos
• SAIG
• Secmotic
• Sigrow
• Sngular
• TIER 1
• UTW
• Verdtech-Verde Smart Co
• Vodafone
  Large enterprise
  
• Wellness Telecom
• WENDU Wearable S.L.
• Zabala Innovation Consulting
• AIMCRA: Asociación para la investigación y mejora del cultivo de la remolacha azucarera
• APROA: Asociación de Organizaciones de Productores de Andalucía.
  Industry association
  http://www.aproa.eu/
• AGROCOLOR
• ASAJA Andalucía
• ASEMESA: Asociación de Exportadores e Industriales de Aceitunas de Mesa.
• APROSE: Asociación Profesional de Empresas Productoreas de Semillas Selectas
• ASAJA Sevilla: Asociación Agraria de Jóvenes Agricultores.
• C.R. D.O. ""CONDADO DE HUELVA"" Y ""VINAGRE DEL CONDADO DE HUELVA""
• C.R. D.O. ""MONTILLA-MORILES"" Y ""VINAGRE DE MONTILLA-MORILES""
• C.R. D.O.P. ""ESTEPA""
• C.R. D.O.P. ""JAMON DE HUELVA""
• C.R. D.O.P. ""PRIEGO DE CORDOBA""
• C.R.D.O.P. ""ACEITUNA ALOREÑA DE MÁLAGA""
• C.R.I.G.P. ""MANTECADOS DE ESTEPA"" Y ''POLVORONES DE ESTEPA''
• CAEA
• COAG Andalucia
• COEXPHAL
  Industry association
  https://www.coexphal.es/
• COOPERATIVAS AGRO-ALIMENTARIAS
• Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de Granada FAECA
• COVAP
• DCOOP
• FIAB (Federación Española de Industrias de Alimentación y Bebidas)
• FRESHUELVA
• Galpagro
• GDR Valle del Guadalhorce
• GLOBAL GAP
• Global Olive
• Grupo La Caña
• Herba Ricemills / Ebro Foods
• Inddeco: Investigación de Dehesas Ecológicas
• LANDALUZ: Asociación Empresarial de Alimentos de Andalucia
• MERCADONA
• Oleoestepa SCA
• RURAPOLIS
• Subafresh
• TEPRO Consultores Agrícolas SL
• TROPS
• UPA Andalucía
• ADESVA
• Andalucía Tech: Campus de Excelencia Internacional
• Andanatura, Fundación Espacios Naturales de Andalucía
• CATEC: Centro Avanzado de Tecnologías Aeroespaciales
• CeiA3
• CEIMAR
• CIDAF Fundación Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo del Alimento Funcional
• CITIC
• CITOLIVA
• COIAA Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Agrónomos de Andalucia
• CTA
• CTAQUA
• FAICO Fundación Andaluza de Imagen, Color y Óptica
• FUNDACION CAJAMAR
  Research & Technology organization
  http://www.fundacioncajamar.es/es/comun/
• GEOLIT
  Other
  http://geolit.es/
• Instituto de la Grasa, CSIC
• Parque Científico Tecnológico PITA ALMERIA
• TECNOVA
  Research & Technology organization
  https://www.fundaciontecnova.es
• Agencia IDEA
• Consejería de Empleo, Empresa y Comercio
  Regional government
  https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/organismos/empleoempresaycomercio.html
• Consejería de Salud
• Consejería Medio Ambiente y Ordenación del Territorio
• Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento
• IFAPA: Instituto de Formación Agraria y Pesquera de Andalucía

H2020 Projects

• SmartAgriHubs
  Connecting the dots to unleash the innovation potential for digital transformation of the European agri-food sector

  Connecting the dots to unleash the innovation potential for digital transformation of the European agri-food sector

  
  

  SmartAgriHubs is dedicated to accelerate the digital transformation of the European agri-food sector. It will consolidate, activate and extend the current ecosystem by building a network of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) that will boost the uptake of digital solutions by the farming sector. This will be achieved by integrating technology and business support in a local one-stop-shop approach involving all regions and all relevant players in Europe. The heart of the project is formed by 28 flagship innovation experiments demonstrating digital innovations in agriculture, facilitated by DIHs from 9 Regional Clusters including all European member states. Concurrently, SmartAgriHubs will improve the maturity of innovation services of DIHs so that digital innovations will be replicated across Europe and widely adopted by European farmers. A lean multi-actor approach focusing on user acceptability, stakeholder engagement and sustainable business models will boost technology and market readiness levels and bring user adoption to the next level. This will be enhanced by synergetic effects between SmartAgriHubs and RIS3, since SmartAgriHubs will work in lock step with European regions to maximize the return of European investments, including regional structural funds and private capital. Open Calls with a total budget of ±6 M€ will expand the network and ensure that technological developments and emerging challenges of the agri-food sector are incorporated in the DIH service portfolio. SmartAgriHubs’ inclusive structure and ambitious targets will bring the entire European ecosystem together, connecting the dots to ensure global leadership for Europe in the AgTech market. The consortium, led by Wageningen Research and other partners of previous key projects such as IoF2020, FIWARE, S3P Agri-Food and I4MS, will leverage the existing ecosystem and guarantee a maximum ROI for European taxpayers and a vital agri-food sector producing adequate and safe food for future generations.

• RIMA
  Robotics for Infrastructure Inspection and MAintenance

  Robotics for Infrastructure Inspection and MAintenance

  
  

  Inspection and Maintenance (I&M) represents a huge economic activity (450 Bn€ market) spanning across sectors such as energy, transport, civil engineering. EU hosts over 50% of I&M robotics offer but there is a bottleneck connecting it to the market and high potential applications. RIMA is a 4-year project aiming to establish a network of 13 Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) on robotics sharing best practices and providing services to facilitate uptake of I&M technologies.
  Our challenge is to reinforce this connection and to provide education and training on robotics I&M and to connect the value chain - research, technology companies, service providers, end users and investors- for accelerating economic growth in the field:
  - RIMA is building upon the network pioneered by SPRINT Robotics extending it to all relevant sectors across the value chain.
  - The RIMA network encompasses:
     o leading research organizations supporting one DIH per region aligned with regional policies and industry sectors.
     o Sectorial associations who will make a bridge with end users and industries.
  - RIMA will offer services including support to testing and technology transfer, coaching and training on robotics for I&M, process optimization and communication. 50.5% of RIMA’s budget will be distributed to SMEs to run experiments using FSTP
  - RIMA will advise on funding opportunities relying on the S3 Thematic Platform on robotics for I&M federating the common ambition of 13 EU regions.
  - Network sustainability will be ensured by adapting the SPRINT business model
  Expected results are (i) increased competitiveness of EU I&M Robotics, (ii) economic added value by increased productivity and availability of the critical infrastructure (iii) social and environmental impact through improved safety and less emission of hazardous substances (iv) the constitution of a sustainable and scalable (open to new members) DIH network aligned with the industrial and European policies and ambitions

• AI REGIO
  Regions and DIHs alliance for AI-driven digital transformation of European Manufacturing SMEs

  Regions and DIHs alliance for AI-driven digital transformation of European Manufacturing SMEs

  
  

  The AI REGIO project aims at filling 3 major gaps currently preventing AI-driven DIHs from implementing fully effective digital transformation pathways for their Manufacturing SMEs: at policy level the Regional vs. EU gap; at technological level the Digital Manufacturing vs. Innovation Collaboration Platform gap; at business level the Innovative AI (Industry 5.0) vs Industry 4.0 gap.
  POLICY. Regional smart specialization strategies for Efficient Sustainable Manufacturing and Digital Transformation (VANGUARD initiative for Industrial Modcernisation) are so far insufficiently coordinated and integrated at cross-regional and pan-EU level. SME-driven >AI innovations cannot scale up to become pan-EU accessible in global marketplaces as well as SME-driven experiments remain trapped into a too local dimension without achieving a large scale dimension. Regional vs. EU Gap.
  TECHNOLOGY. Digital Manufacturing Platforms DMP and Digital Innovation Hubs DIH play a fundamental role in the implementation of the Digital Single Market and Digitsing European Industry directives to SMEs, but so far such initiatives, communities, innovation actions are running in a quite independent if not siloed way, where very often Platform-related challenges are not of interest for DIHs and Socio-Business impact not of interest for DMP. DMP vs. DIH Gap.
  BUSINESS. Many Industrial Data Platforms based on IOT Data in Motion and Analytics Data at Rest have been recently developed to implement effective Industry 4.0 pilots (I4MS Phase III platforms). The AI revolution and the new relationship between autonomous systems and humans (Industry 5.0) has not been properly addressed in I4MS so far. AI I5.0 vs. I4.0 Gap.
  AI REGIO is following the 4 steps for VANGUARD innovation strategy (learn-connect-demonstrate-commercialize) by constantly aligning its methods with the AI DIH Network initiative and its assets with I4MS/DIH BEinCPPS Phase II and MIDIH / L4MS Phase III projects. AI REGIO: Industry 5.0 for SMEs

• PhotonHub Europe
  One-Stop-Shop Open Access to Photonics Innovation Support for a Digital Europe

  One-Stop-Shop Open Access to Photonics Innovation Support for a Digital Europe

  
  

  PhotonHub Europe will establish a single pan-EU Photonics Innovation Hub which integrates the best-in-class photonics technologies, facilities, expertise and experience of 53 partners from all over Europe, including the coordinators of EU pilot lines and local photonics hubs representing 18 regions, as a one-stop-shop solution offering a comprehensive range of supports to industry for the accelerated uptake and deployment of photonics. PhotonHub will provide European companies, in particular “non-photonics” SMEs and mid-caps that are first users and early adopters of photonics, with open access and guided orienteering to the following key support services: training and upskilling opportunities within PhotonHub’s Demo and Experience Centres throughout Europe and enhanced by digital tools for online learning; “test before invest” innovation support capabilities to engage with companies on highly collaborative Innovation Projects aimed at TRL acceleration from prototyping (TRL3-4) to upscaling (TRL5-6) to manufacturing (TRL7-8), and complemented by targeted business and IP advisory supports; and support to find investment through investment-readiness coaching and investor match-making organised in collaboration with major regional and European venture fora and deep tech Investor Days. PhotonHub will uniquely support cross-border innovation activities of European companies, while simultaneously working closely with the local photonics hubs to develop and roll out best practices of the “lighthouse” regions for ongoing regional financial support of SME innovation activities and to support the creation of new innovation hubs covering most regions of Europe. Finally, PhotonHub will fine-tune and implement its business plan for long-term sustainability in the form of the PhotonHub Europe Association as a durable entity which is deeply rooted within the wider ecosystem of local, regional and EU-DIHs for maximum leverage and impact on European competitiveness and sovereignty.
  

• Change2Twin
  Create and Harvest Offerings to support Manufacturing SMEs to become Digital Twin Champions

  Create and Harvest Offerings to support Manufacturing SMEs to become Digital Twin Champions

  
  

  The main ambition of Change2Twin is to ensure that 100% of manufacturing companies in Europe have access to 100% of technologies needed to deploy a digital twin.
  
  Change2Twin will adopt the best practices developed so far in I4Ms – focus on local support provided by DIHs, keeping FSTP grants as accessible as posThe main ambition of Change2Twin is to ensure that 100% of manufacturing companies in Europe have access to 100% of technologies needed to deploy a digital twin. Specifically, we will focus on three sub-objectives: 
  - Developing and providing a truly end-to-end service to the manufacturing SMEs where the end user receives from its local, trusted party (e.g. a DIH) a thorough analysis of the digitalization potential and a cross-border, multi-stakeholder (involving both components providers and an integrator), and ready-to-use recipe for implementation. 
  - Providing an architecture-agnostic technology marketplace with dedicated knowledge models supporting the entity preparing the recipe for a complete solution in selecting the best components and most suitable providers. 
  - Taking one step back to see the bigger picture and to find the minimal interoperable model facilitating modularity, composability and interchangeability of components used, regardless of the individual architectures or frameworks. 
  
  Change2Twin will deliver:
  - A new benchmarked service model facilitating DIHs in providing support to manufacturing companies 
  - A Pan-European marketplace populated with the state-of-the-art service providers that create coverage for end-to-end Digital Twinning solutions
  - A growing network of DIHs that have adopted the service model and marketplace based on a sustainable business model
  - An open, widely available toolbox for establishing a new marketplace consisting of software and body of knowledge gathered during the project 
  - 4 Pilots proving the concept and 2 Open Calls for application experiments with a selection and support programme 
  
  
  

• DIH4CPS
  Fostering DIHs for Embedding Interoperability in Cyber-Physical Systems of European SMEs

  Fostering DIHs for Embedding Interoperability in Cyber-Physical Systems of European SMEs

  
  

  The initiative for Fostering DIHs for Embedding Interoperability in Cyber-Physical Systems of European SMEs (DIH4CPS) will help European enterprises overcome these innovation hurdles and establish Europe as a world leading innovator of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. DIH4CPS will create an embracing, interdisciplinary network of DIHs and solution providers, focussed on cyber-physical and embedded systems, interweaving knowledge and technologies from different domains, and connecting regional clusters with the pan-European expert pool of DIHs. Backed by the IVLab, an experienced and well-established network organisation focussed on Interoperability, DIH4CPS can innately build on an extensive existing network, add value to its existing knowledge transfer capabilities and guarantee the sustainability of the growing DIH network. DIH4CPS expands the already existing network and aims for creating an integrated platform for DIHs from different, especially digitally underdeveloped sectors and regions. A selection of eleven initially starting application experiments guarantees an outstanding funding for European SMEs and Mid-Caps right from the start and demonstrates the high dedication of the consortium to reduce the digital divide. At least ten additional experiments will take up that torch during the project and allow external companies from sectors in need to further exploit the DIH4CPS network and uplift their portfolio, especially by including (semi)-autonomy into their products and systems. DIH4CPS will not only benefit the application experiments but also the individual DIHs by significantly complementing the regional investments made. Implemented in the IVLab structure, the DIH4CPS Network will leverage and sustain its impact far beyond the project duration, creating a vibrant, overarching and cross sector one-stop-shop for collaboration between SMEs, DIHs and Tech providers.

• I4MS-Growth
  Support and stimulation of dynamic and organic growth of pan European ICT for Manufacturing SME Innovation Ecosystems

  Support and stimulation of dynamic and organic growth of pan European ICT for Manufacturing SME Innovation Ecosystems

  
  

  The ICT Innovation for Manufacturing SMEs (I4MS) initiative was launched by the EC on July 2013 with an initial budget of 77 million Euro. During its first stage, I4MS has shown substantial success and contributed to the progressive development of European SMEs adopting advanced ICT solutions for manufacturing.
  The initiative has already achieved some of the main goals resulting from the interaction with SMEs through the successful launch of open calls that generated a high participation of SMEs, many of them newcomers to EU R&D funding programs.
  The actual stage of the projects involved in I4MS brings the need for enhanced support and specific actions towards their exploitation success and towards better leveraging the European Manufacturing Sector through the implementation of ICT solutions within the Manufacturing SMEs. Four additional projects have joined the initiative, these projects will need to integrate in the initiative and have same services of support as the projects included in the first phase of I4MS, such as open calls support, etc…
  For this purpose, I4MS-Growth has designed different strategies that will among others:
  • Renew the I4MS Portal with improved areas for providing information of interest to: regional entities, competence centers, SMEs, etc…
  • Enable the interchange of synergies between IPs and IAs involved in the initiative
  • Support the interaction with the I4MS Competence Centre Network;
  • Continue to promote and support the involvement of SMEs in the new launch of open calls for IAs;
  • Reinforce the brand and image of the Competence Centers Network of Excellence as well as their interaction with innovation hubs;
  • Facilitate the dissemination of the experiments for a future replication and implementation of the I4MS scheme within the regions;
  • Position the I4MS initiative as one of the key initiatives in Europe for the Manufacturing and ICT sector.
  • Administrative management of innovation hubs.