European Digital Innovation Hub: Europe is funding Piedmont’s planning.

An extraordinary achievement resulting from teamwork and ultra-territorial synergies. One could summarize in this way the news that came from the European Commission, which has made official the ranking of the European Digital Innovation Hubs, a network of more than 200 digital innovation hubs that will be entrusted with the task of ensuring the digital transition of industry, with particular reference to SMEs and Public Administration, through the adoption of advanced digital technologies, Artificial Intelligence, High Performance Computing and Information Security.

Of the more than 40 projects submitted at the Italian level, 13 will receive 100 percent funding, while 17 other proposals have been favorably evaluated by Brussels and will receive 50 percent funding through NRP funds.

Piedmont achieved a truly significant result: thanks to a coordinated team effort involving the CIM4.0 National Competence Center, the University and the Polytechnic University of Turin, two projects obtained full coverage, one, with a national scope, was judged by the Commission as a project of excellence, i.e., considered of the highest quality and therefore funded by the National Government (MISE). A total of about 16 million euros is mentioned for the three projects.

What functions will EDIHs have?

In the European Commission’s vision, the European Digital Innovation Hubs will be “one-stop shops that will help companies respond dynamically to digital challenges and become more competitive,” providing access to technical expertise and experimental innovations, as well as the opportunity to “test before investing.” Among other activities they will carry out will be financial advisory services, training and development of skills needed for digital transformation. They will also be expected to help companies address the green transition particularly with regard to energy consumption and low carbon emissions. The European Digital Innovation Hubs will also be a reference point through which the EU can make available additional resources to support the digitization of Italian small and medium-sized enterprises.

EXPAND: the project presented by CIM4.0

EXPAND – Extended Piedmont and Aosta valley Network for Digitalization. – coordinated by CIM4.0 (Project Leader, Paolo Brizzi CIM4.0). is focused on supporting, in Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta, small and medium-sized enterprises within the industrial ecosystems of manufacturing and public administration on the issues of Artificial Intelligence and Information Security.There are multiple challenges that aspire to the digital and ecological transition of the territory and that, through an articulated offer of clear and concrete activities of testing, training, investment support and local, national and international networking, will enable companies and PA to become increasingly efficient and competitive. The project is 100 percent funded (about 6 million euros in activities). Partners involved in the project together with CIM4.0 are: CSI Piemonte, Turin Chamber of Commerce, DIH Piemonte, API Torino, Torino Wireless, Polo Innovazione Mesap, Intesa Sanpaolo and Links Foundation.

Available assets, expertise and services of:

TEST BEFORE INVEST ➡ access to know-how and laboratories for experiments and test-beds.

SKILLS AND TRAINING ➡ professional training on digital skills, AI and Cybersecurity.

SUPPORT TO FIND INVESTMENTS ➡ support and guide enterprises to become increasingly competitive through financing.

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM AND NETWORKING ➡ catalyze and aggregate innovation actors and orchestrate relationships among regional authorities, industrial districts, business associations, incubators, accelerators, and international networks.

We welcome with great enthusiasm the officiality of the European Commission with respect to the EDIH ranking in which Italy, also through the National Competence Centers, was among the absolute protagonists at the European level with 13 projects 100% funded and another 17 recognized as equally valid and therefore covered through PNRR funds. Piedmont has been able to work very well as a team, collaborating effectively and presenting three complementary projects that we are convinced will decisively support small and medium-sized enterprises in a territory that has no borders, given that the reference ecosystem in addition to our region also includes the Aosta Valley and indirectly the entire country. Now the road is traced, it is necessary to promptly ground procedures and actions aimed at the operability of the 3 European Hubs starting in September,” said Enrico Pisino, CEO of CIM4.0.