Survey on potential Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs)

With the Digitising European Industrial Strategy the European Commission and the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology aims to ensure that any industry in Europe can fully benefit from digital innovations to upgrade its products, improves processes and adapts its business models to the digital change. The investment of €500 million in a pan-European network of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) is a pivotal part of this strategy.

As part of the implementation of this strategy a Digital Innovation Hubs Catalogue will be created containing comprehensive information on the digital innovation hubs in Europe to give any SME or industry access to the exact competence fitting its needs in order to digitize its products and services. The catalogue will also give access to potential actors to join a given DIH in offering their competences and services. Furthermore the catalogue will give the European DIHs a platform to communicate their expertise to potential customers by showcasing their services on a European level. The availability of information on 'who-is-who' will also create opportunities to find possible cooperation's between the DIHs and stimulate a pan-European network of DIHs.

A consortium of partners led by TNO has been selected to develop the Catalogue of the present existing DIHs and gathers information on European DIHs to create a database. The database will afterwards be used to build an online portal making the collected information available to all interested parties, fostering the use of the hubs, and fostering their development and networking.

Digital Innovation Hubs are one-stop-shops that help companies to become more competitive with regard to their business/production processes, products or services using digital technologies. They are based upon technology infrastructure (competence centre) and provide access to the latest knowledge, expertise and technology to support their customers with piloting, testing and experimenting with digital innovations. DIHs also provide business and financing support to implement these innovations, if needed across the value chain. As proximity is considered crucial, they act as a first regional point of contact, a doorway, and strengthen the innovation ecosystem. A DIH is a regional multi-partner cooperation (including organizations like RTOs, universities, industry associations, chambers of commerce, incubator/accelerators, regional development agencies and even governments) and can also have strong linkages with service providers outside of their region supporting companies with access to their services.

To create the Catalogue DIH initiatives are invited to apply to be included by providing information on their initiative with this questionnaire.

During the first stage the emphasis will be on DIHs that meet the following three minimum conditions:

1.  Initiated under on a national or European policy initiative to digitize the industry

2.  Receive governmental funding

3.  3 examples of services provided to clients

Please notice that many items are mandatory. Not providing the requested information will result in cancelling the application of your initiative for the Digital Innovation Hubs Catalogue.

Click here to come to the survey