In January 2018 the "Virtual Digital Innovation Hub" was set up by SI-IES Ltd in the wake of the national "Piano Industria 4.0" presented by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development. The DIHV is a non-profit organization (Fiscal Code 96446580589) represented by high profile professionals able to provide 360 degrees support to companies, especially SMEs.

The Virtual Digital Innovation Hub meets on a monthly basis, with the involvement of established or emerging players in the business field, in order to identify the areas of common interest on which to intervene to facilitate the process of Digital Transformation. Since the onset of the activities, meetings have been held, among these, with the tlc, health, education, financing, insurance and banking sectors, with company, enterprise, and SMEs, with the academic sector, with public administration and with innovative startups in the fields of ICT,  Digital Innovation, Cybersecurity and Distributed Ledger Technology, defining a solid network of contacts that allows to operate on the entire supply chain of the business consulting process integrating skills from a variety of qualified subjects. Monitoring of digital transformation on regional, national and international scale and the access to specialist expertise is also ensured thanks to the involvement of a set of experts from industry and academia (among which twelve participants who regularly attends the initiatives and five thematic experts).

One of the objectives of the DIHV, in preparation phase, is to create a synergistic workplace for professionals involved, so to enable them to communicate with the territory and with SMEs, training institutions, technopoles and digital startups, taking into consideration employment issues. The intent is to feed and improve corporate communication and strategic planning, always trying to complete horizontal and vertical paths and achieve innovative and competitive processes, products and services.

Also, DIHV intends to contribute to the construction of competences for the growth of human capital, providing access to advanced and strategic training and to the development of skills necessary for the new profiles of Enterprise 4.0.Overall, DIHV intends to operate as a catalyst for digital ecosystems able to support companies with challenging and competitive elements, consistent with Digitisation of European Industry.

Services and support activities for local SMEs:

business dissemination 4.0
innovation strategies
business planning 4.0
funding sources
legal advice
marketing and communication
Digital technologies.

DIHOST provides non-profit support for the digital transformation of SMEs in the Eastern part of Austria.

It offers access to digital know-how and test infrastructure of 5 knowledge providers and involves business & innovation support organisations (Chamber of Commerce, clusters, etc.) to reach out to SMEs in four regions in Austria (Lower Austria, Burgenland, Vienna, Upper Austria). The consortium is coordinated by the Lower Austrian business agency ecoplus.

Aiming to counteract identified deficits of regional SMEs in digital transformation, the approach of DIHOST is based on the dissemination of good practice and exchange of experience and a multifaceted and demand-oriented upskilling programme which empowers regional SMEs to start their first digitalisation pilot projects in cooperation with digitalisation experts from RTD and innovation support institutions.

DIHOST focuses on the following key technological areas:

Internet of Things (IoT), sensors & connectivity
Blockchain technologies & IT security
Additive Manufacturing / 3D printing

These three key technology fields are complemented by selected topics referring to data processing & visualisation, virtual & augmented reality as a cross-cutting fields of digital innovation.

Within the above mentioned key technology fields, DIHOST target groups, i.e. mainly regional SMEs, can choose individual service packages starting from from a low-threshold entry level up to support in developing individual digital innovation projects and/or strategic support for mastering digital transformation of the whole enterprise. Digital technologies.

DIHNAMIC - Digital Innovation Hub for Nouvelle-Aquitaine Manufacturing Industry Community

DIHNAMIC supports Nouvelle-Aquitaine region’s industrial companies, notably SMEs in their production and business processes modernisation in line with the digital and organisational transformation policies and the Factory of the Future programme both driven by the regional council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. DIHNAMIC is a non-profit multi-stakeholders regional cooperation, coordinated by Aerospace Valley, already gathering more 25 partners.

The core consortium of the DIHNAMIC is composed of the following actors:

Clusters:

Aerospace Valley cluster (coordinator)

Aerospace Valley is the biggest European competitiveness cluster dedicated to aeronautics, space and embedded systems gathering more than 840 members from industry and research including amongst others 500 SMEs as well as large corporate groups and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), the major aerospace research establishments, engineering schools and local authorities.
The purpose of Aerospace Valley is to leverage the competitiveness and visibility of its members, both on the national and international scene. The core expertise of Aerospace Valley is based on three services: networking, R&D and innovation, and companies business and resources development.

Alpha RLH cluster

Alpha RLH is the Photonics and Microwaves Competitiveness Cluster in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It gathers 253 members and is working with companies and laboratories in setting-up, evaluating and funding innovative projects. The cluster addresses focal areas of the Factory of the Future such as the role of humans in factories, cobots, virtual reality or digitalization.

Aquitaine Robotics cluster

Aquitaine Robotics structures the regional robotics sector, supports collaborative R&D projects and develops skills in scientific research and training. Created in July 2013 by the Regional Council of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the Development and Innovation Agency of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and the Bordeaux Polytechnic Institute, it brings together more than 100 members, mainly companies, research and training organizations, and users.

European Ceramic Cluster

The European Ceramic Cluster is the unique competitiveness cluster dedicated to ceramics since 2005. Based in Limoges, the cluster is recognized as a reference expert in France in the field of ceramics. It unites 140 members around ceramic activities: Luxe and Creation, Health-Environment-Housing, Transport and Energy, and Electronics and Photonics

Technology paltformes:

ALPhANOV

Founded in 2007, ALPhANOV is the center of the Lasers & Microwaves French Cluster ALPHA-RLH, located in Bordeaux, France. ALPhANOV aims to boost innovation through collaboration between research and industry. It offers multiple modes of action which enable it to act all along the value chain: collaborative projects, feasibility studies, access to shared technical facilities, dedicated resources for companies and laboratories, technical support of entrepreneurship. It contributes to the creation and development of companies by providing innovative solutions that meet their expectations. It offers an array of services and products in optics and lasers with 4 fields of expertise: laser processes and micro-machining, laser sources and fiber components, laser and optical systems, photonics and health.

CATIE

CATIE (Center of Information Technologies and Electronic of Aquitaine) is a non-profit organization with a mission to speed-up maturation integration and transfer of ICT Technologies to SMEs. The technologies of CATIE range from human factor and cognition to IoT sensors gateway and platforms through big data, artificial intelligence and block chain, all keys to achieve efficient robotics and agile production solutions.

CANOE

CANOE is a R&T center focused onto polymer materials formulation, composite manufacturing and recycling process and characterization. CANOE has a specific expertise in terms of materials/robotics development such as polymer pellet formulation for robotized additive manufacturing by fused deposition modelling (FDM) and high temperature thermoplastic polymer or UV-curable resin formulation for filament winding process by automated tape placement (ATP).

CEA Tech

CEA Tech is the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energy Commission technology research unit. This collaborative robotics platform is thus the meeting point between the CEA and its industrial partners for joint research and development on systems like cobots and exoskeletons which aims at making manual tasks easier, improving operator precision, and increasing productivity. The systems developed are either stationary, mobile, or remotely-operated for use in hostile environments.

CETIM

The Technical Center for Mechanical Industry was established in France in 1965 in order to improve companies’ competitiveness through mechanical engineering, transfer of innovations and advanced manufacturing solutions. It is a founding member of the Alliance Industry of the Future.

Compositadour

COMPOSITADOUR is a technical platform specialized in robotic processes for the implementation of composite materials. COMPOSITADOUR offers state-of-the-art equipment and mobilizes its network of skills, experts and researchers from laboratories, SMEs and major industrial groups to develop innovative projects.

Metallicadour

Metallicadour is a Technology Transfert Center in the area of production: high performance machining, robotization of processes and robotic welding solutions. Metallicadour provides companies with a shared resource center equipped with robotic solutions, to contribute on the economic development of the region by adding an efficient tool. It proposes high-tech ressources with top-level skills to support SME and mid-size companies, to increase added value of the production, to foster development of new industrial techniques and to reinforce the link between industry and research laboratories.

CTTC

The Center for Technology Transfers in Ceramics is an independent technological center based in Limoges (Nouvelle-Aquitaine) working on ceramics materials and their processing. It was created in 1984 and is labelled by the French Research Ministry. It aims at developing products and technologies dedicated to industry from different sectors including aerospace, energy, health, and electronics.

TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION

Tecnalia research & innovation is a private, independent, non-profit applied research center of international excellence. Legally a Foundation, Tecnalia is the leading private and independent research and technology organisation in Spain and one of the largest in Europe, employing around 1,445 people (225 PhDs) and with income of 108 Million € in 2018. TECNALIA is committed to generate major impacts in economic terms, by means of innovation and technological development, addressed by 6 business divisions covering the economic sectors of Energy, Environment, Industry, Transport, Construction, Health and ICT. TECNALIA has been granted 396 patents and promoted more than 30 spin-off companies.

Research and education:

Bordeaux INP

Bordeaux INP is an institute for research and higher education composed of 8 graduate schools of engineering (ENSC, ENSCBP, ENSEGID, ENSEIRB-MATMECA, ENSTBB, ENSGTI, ENSI Poitiers, ISABTP) and supervising 11 research laboratories, covering among others ICT, transport, materials of the future, energy, etc. Bordeaux INP is part of National polytechnic institute group together with Grenoble, Toulouse and Lorraine.

ENSAM Arts et Métiers

ENSAM-Arts et Métiers ParisTech is a French engineering and research school. It is a general engineering school recognized for leading French higher education in the fields of mechanics and industrialization. Founded in 1780, it is among the oldest French institutions and is one of the most prestigious engineering schools in France. The school has trained 85,000 engineers since its foundation. Arts et Métiers ParisTech consists of eight Teaching and Research Centers (CER) and three institutes spread across the country. It is also a founding member of the Alliance Industry of the Future.

ESTIA

The ESTIA Institute of Technology is recognized as one of major players in engineering education, research and technology transfer in the field of mechanics and industrial robotics in Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

INRIA

The INRIA, French research institute for digital sciences, was created in 1967 and promotes scientific excellence and technology transfer to maximize its impact by working with many companies and having assisted in the creation of over 160 startups. It aims to meet the challenges of the digital transformation of science, society and the economy.

University of Bordeaux

The University of Bordeaux is a multidisciplinary university created more than half a century ago and is thus a well-known French institution. It welcomes 56,000 students from all over the world and 88 research centers in different domains. The College on Sciences and Technologies gathers about 7000 students.

Bordeaux University Foundation

The Bordeaux University Foundation is a foundation for scientific cooperation with mixed governance, bringing together large groups, mid-sized companies, institutions and academics with the aim of positioning Bordeaux and its region at the highest global level by supporting the university and hospital site in its missions of research, innovation and training for the benefit of growth and attractiveness of the territory.

Large companies:

Thales

Thales Group is a well-known French large company working on five key sectors which are aerospace, space, ground transportation, defence and securi

The Galician Automotive Cluster (CEAGA), the Galician Food Cluster (CLUSAGA), the Galician Naval Cluster (ACLUNAGA) and the Galician ICT Cluster have formed the Galician Digital Innovation Hub Industrial, DIHGIGAL, through a new non-profit association.

 

The Hub is constituted, with the support of the regional government, with the objective of promoting the digital transformation of the industry of Galicia. DIHGIGAL brings together 450 companies and organisations, employing nearly 52,000 people, with a joint turnover of 19.18 billion euros, which is equivalent to 30% of Galicia's GDP. Among the companies that support this initiative, we can highlight large entities such as: Altia, Astilleros Freire, Conservas Calvo, GKN Driveline Vigo, Groupe PSA, Jealsa Rianxeira, Navantia, Nueva Pescanova, R, etc.

The Galician Industrial Digital Innovation Hub was created with a clear vocation for integration and transversality to promote collaboration, innovation and digital transformation of the entire Galician industry. DIHGIGAL is aligned with the regional RIS3.

 

SOME OF THE MEMBER ENTITIES:
- Large Companies or Tractors: Calvo, Clavo Food, Clun, Cupa, Denso, Ence, Freire, GKN Driveline Vigo, Groupe PSA, Grupo Cablerías, Grupo Robert Bosch, Hijos de Rivera, Navantia, Nueva Pescanova, Optare, R, Sociedad Textil Lonia, Televés.
- Clusters: CEAGA, ACLUNAGA, CLUSAGA, Cluster TIC
- Technological centres: AIMEN, ANFACO, CESGA, CITIC, CTAG, GRADIANT, ITG, ITMATI
- University system: University of Vigo, University of Santiago and University of Coruña.

 

VISION OF THE DIH:
To place the companies that make up Galicia's industrial system in a position of competitive leadership at a global level, through the promotion and encouragement of digital transformation.

 

DIH OBJECTIVES:
- To provide industrial companies and SMEs with the capabilities to face the challenges of the Factory of the Future.
- Promote the transfer of knowledge from technology and competence centres to companies.
- Promoting the collaboration and connection of the different actors and stakeholders that make up DIH.
- Align the Galician industry through a common framework and the use of shared resources.
- Promote education and practical training in the identified gaps.
- Connect IHL with other HUBs, regional, European and global ecosystems.
- Advise the Public Administration on policies related to the industrial and technological digital ecosystem.

 

DIH will have a set of activities and services oriented to the digital transformation of SMEs:

- Cooperation projects
- Using FabLabs
- Mentors
- Training
- Benchmarking
- Encouraging entrepreneurship and the creation of new businesses
- Calls for proposals on the technological challenges identified
- Sharing good practices
- Diagnosis
- Access to experts Digital technologies.

The process of digital transformation of manufacturing companies will be based on the full use of technologies of Industry 4.0. The use of these technologies helps to improve the competitiveness of these companies, which from a socio-economic point of view are so important in Castilla y León.

The provision of digital transformation services is carried out under a one-stop shop scheme. This approach facilitates the provision to SMEs of a comprehensive service that addresses not only their technological needs, but also complementary aspects such as financing, training, etc..

In this sense, the enabling technologies of the digital transformation that have a greater importance in the catalogue of services provided from the DIHBU Industry 4.0, are: Artificial Intelligence, GPS location systems, Sensors, Robotics, Cloud computing, Cybersecurity, Additive Manufacturing, Big Data, the Internet of Things, and man-machine Technologies.

The articulation of DIHBU Industry 4.0 is framed in one of the Emblematic Initiatives referring to Industry 4.0, which are described in the update of the Intelligent Specialization Strategy of the Region of Castilla y León for the period 2018-2020.

The partners of DIHBU Industry 4.0 have a deep knowledge of the enabling technologies of Industry 4.0. Their experience is the Hub's best asset and the guarantee of providing a quality service to companies interested in using services for digital transformation. Digital technologies.

The Digital Innovation Hub, dih4.ai (Gdansk, Poland), is co-created by a consortium of Voicelab.ai and Gdansk University of Technology in collaboration with almost 20 partners.

DIH4.AI, is co-created by a consortium of Voicelab.ai and Gdansk University of Technology in collaboration with almost 20 partners. 
DIH4.AI is one of the leaders of Digital Innovation Hubs in Poland, selected in October 2019 by the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology. VoiceLab.AI specializes in providing artificial intelligence innovations in the area of voice and signal processing technologies. It has world-class proprietary solutions designed for the banking, financial, telecommunications, medical and public sectors, among others. The company has vast experience in tasks related to digital transformation in the national conditions of development and implementation of modern technologies. Gdansk University of Technology is on the other hand an experienced technical university and one of the best research universities in Poland. It successfully implements initiatives related to the development of scientific research , as well as undertakes activities to integrate the Pomeranian environment in the field of AI, conducting intensive training and networking activities. 

The primary purpose of DIH4.AI is to support companies in the development and commercialization of innovative projects in the field of modern technologies through access to knowledge, experience, technology and good practices. Digital Innovation Hub conducts information, training, consulting and implementation activities - in particular in the field of AI, but also robotics, Internet of Things (IoT) or cyber security. (learning factory), thanks to which it is possible to acquire competencies necessary for technology transfer from science to industry.

Services offered: 

trainings and courses: gain knowledge and improve competencies in the use of AI to support digital transformation. Use our e-learning platform: www.edu.dih4.ai
Computing power; intelligent automation of complex business processes requires efficient infrastructure. We provide the computing power you need to digitize your operations.
Labs: Want to do a project related to robotics, automation or 3D printing? Prototype and construct in the state-of-the-art dih4.ai lab workshop
Consulting: We can help if you need support with automating processes in your organization or are looking for advice on how to use AI for data processing.We also offer to perform a technology audit and digital maturity assessment using ADMA methodology
Events: Find yourself at the center of events and meet people who share your enthusiasm. Gain knowledge and valuable contacts. Check where we can meet!

  Digital technologies.

(DIH-BAITUR) is a non-profit initiative in line with the Smart Specialisation Strategy of the Balearic Islands (RIS3), which is focused on tourism and promotes other strategic sectors, such as agriculture.

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic industries in the world. At the same time, it is also an “anchor” industry for all others in the region.

The Balearic Islands are one of the most important and well-known tourist destinations in the world. The competitiveness of the tourism industry is directly related to the islands’ capacity to innovate and adapt to today’s new technological changes.

Disruptive technologies have a direct impact on tourism, and this impact is much stronger than in any other sector: cloud computing, IoT, BigData, 5G... So, this industry needs a digital and innovative ecosystem that will help to support the emergence of new data and the digital economy.

At the same time, tourism is a sector that is directly linked to all other industries in the region, especially agriculture. So, DIH-BAITUR brings all these sectors and industries together “under one roof,” therefore increasing the region’s level of competitiveness.

DIH-BAITUR aims to support and boost the digital transformation of companies, especially those in the tourism and agricultural sectors. This will help them to successfully face today’s global challenges, especially those related to the new data economy, and help them to become more competitive.

DIH-BAITUR is co-run by different non-profit and public entities: the cluster of technologies applied to tourism – TURISTEC, leading the creation of DIH-BAITUR together with the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Mallorca Chamber of Commerce, the Agricultural Cooperatives on the islands and the Regional Government of the Balearic Islands. New members to join in the short-medium term have already been identified.

The main ambition of the Balearic Islands DIH is to become a reference model, not only for the Balearic Islands in anything related to innovation and digitisation, but also at European level for the tourism sector.

This DIH also intends to create a strong and single digital innovation ecosystem involving not only the tourism sector but all other sectors in the Balearic Islands, concentrating primarily on the agricultural industry. DIH-BAITUR provides services for the development of R+D projects, scaling up of innovative projects and demonstrations, and also serves as a resource for training and accelerating of start-ups with a one-stop-shop approach.

Different services have already been identified, for the technical and economic advisory services such as:

Needs analysis
Market and territory intelligence: Development of tools to offer Market and territory intelligence, open to public and private entities and based on indicators
360 vision of technological assessment
Technological perspective and state of the art assessment
Economic viability analysis
Access to finance and funding: offer information on existing grants, funds and tenders at local, national and international level for all kind of entities
Proof of concept

 

Networking and incubating services such as:

Access to competence centres
Development of the innovation ecosystem: put together the main actors of the innovation ecosystem at regional level and generate synergies at international level
Internationalisation
Incubator/mentoring services: offering the possibility to incubate start-ups and SMEs as well as carry out different mentoring services from the technological and business point of view

Awareness and training activities, such as:

Showroom activities
Dissemination activities
Training and education: offer training and education. Identification of skills and skills needed by companies
The organisation of innovation events
Digital technologies.

The Digital Innovation Hub of Confartigianato Ancona Pesaro and Urbino is a no profit organization, coordinated by Confartigiano Imprese, an industrial association, which has been supporting micro and Small-Medium Enterprises from 70 years.

Specifically, the DIH acts an innovation centre for artisans, SMEs and citizens who want to acquire digital competences. The DIH offers to its clients, especially SMEs of different sectors, high level services and updated training to access new technologies.

The main objective of the DIH is building a digital ecosystem linking and managing relationships between enterprises, universities and financial services in order to support businesses, particularly SMEs, towards digital transformation.

Moreover, the DIH owns specific digital and technological tools, such as 3D printers and software. SMEs can exploit this equipment directly through the DIH to develop new process and products. Furthermore, the DIH has a team of experts which can support directly SMEs, levering also on the assistance of other professional of the field. 

In particular, thanks to ICT experts operating inside the DIH, enterprises can access knowledge, experience, competences on technological tools and equipment to transform their idea in prototypes and then products. Businesses can use software, 3D printing, virtual reality exploiting the opportunity of coaching from experienced professionals.

Each client of the DIH is supported in the development of new processes and products, testing first of all their level of digital maturity, ithen defining an accurate plan of actions for developing new process and products. Lastly, based on the emerging needs and knowledge required, the client is connected by the DIH to suitable partners of the ecosystem.

The relation of the collaboration is guided by the Digital Innovation Hub from the beginning, setting meetings and supporting the partners throughout the entire collaboration.

In addition, the DIH offers specific sessions of training involving experts from DIH staff together with external professionals. Training sessions continue involving a high SMEs of different sectors. The courses relate to a wide range of topics from web marketing, cybersecurity and privacy, prototyping and 3D printing and programming. Digital technologies.

The DIH Veneto is managed by Confindustria Veneto SIAV Spa, the service company of Confindustria Veneto.

It operates at a regional level in close connection with the "territorial antennas" set up by the Industrial Associations of the Veneto provinces and the provincial DIHs of Confindustria.

It is an important player in the 4.0 regional ecosystem, which includes the 4 Universities of Veneto, the Competence Center Smact, the public Innovation Agencies (T2I, Galileo Visionary District and Veneto Innovazione), the system of regional cluster (Reti Innovative Regionali) the smart factories of “100 luoghi di Industria 4.0”;

Awareness-raising on the opportunities related to the application of 4.0 technologies through the organisation of seminars, workshops and particularly the animation and promotion of the regional network of Industry 4.0 showcase factories

https://100luoghi.industria40veneto.it/

Research and studies in the field of 4.0 aimed at promoting and developing the managerial culture

https://www.siav.net/wp/service-post/dih-ricerche-pubblicazioni/

Training courses, seminars, workshops, and study visits;

https://www.siav.net/wp/service-post/dih-training-formazione/

Digital maturity assessment: support in the use of digital maturity assessment tools, the definition of the roadmap for the digital transformation of business processes and accompaniment in the development of 4.0 projects through the support of highly qualified managers

https://www.siav.net/wp/audit-per-le-imprese-e-consulenze-sul-digitale/

Customized consultancy to companies on specific issues of Industry 4.0 European projects (Force, Adapt, Equal, Leonardo, Erasmus Plus, Cross-border Projects, Horizon, Interreg) with a network of hundreds of partners throughout Europe.
Liaison with major regional clusters. SIAV is part of 12 technology clusters recognised by the Veneto Region.

https://www.siav.net/wp/regional-innovation-cluster/

All the services (except consultancy) are provided free of charge to companies thanks to the SIAV support in accessing regional, national and European funding Digital technologies.

​​​​Digital Innovation Hub at University of Maribor is a regional non-profit network hub of research, industry and business support organizations, utilizing state of the art infrastructure, in order to bring the digital revolution in Slovenia by offering cutting-edge digital technology innovations and services to the manufacturing industry. It also acts as a one-stop shop for East Cohesion Region of Slovenia, directing industry player towards partners who can help them during the digital transformation process.

The mission of DIH UM is to bridge the gap between the digitalization needs in the industries and the viable solutions. DIH UM’s vision is to create a collaborative community focused on digital technologies and new business models that can improve the competitiveness of companies.

DIH UM is oriented towards industrial sectors, which are prioritized in the Slovenia’s Smart Specialisation Strategy (S4). Priority area Healthy working and living environment relates to areas of application where systemic solutions should be developed based on R&D investments and intensive collaboration between stakeholders, especially companies and knowledge institutions. One of the main goals of DIH UM is to use available mechanisms, such as SRIPs, clusters, value chains etc. as a vehicle to identify future challenges and determine appropriate solutions to accelerate innovation and digital transformation. In the case of SMEs - to support them at scale-up activities to develop and implement digital skills. Experiences show that facilitating and enabling SMEs to access research facilities (e.g. HPC) removes various barriers for them (e.g. costs, lack of personnel, learning curve, lean optimization of business model) and greatly improves the likelihood of them becoming world leaders. On the other hand, for DIH UM’s technology and knowledge providers, such partnerships stimulate long-term R&D collaborations and create solid basis for strong and sustainable links between science and industry.

The largest ongoing investment is a 20 million project HPC-RIVR. UM has secured 16 million EU funding (+4 million national funding) to build a supercomputer center in Maribor to boost national high-performance computing capacities for research, innovation and business. The project will ensure integration with existing infrastructures, such as the Slovenian State Cloud. HPC-RIVR is a reference project of the Digital Slovenia 2020 (Information Society Development Strategy to 2020).

The DIH UM is bringing together skilled workforce, researchers, policy, network, knowledge, research findings and the industry. For this reason, various activities aimed at integrating knowledge and R&D with the industry are being implemented in order to initiate concrete projects contributing to new jobs and new products with high added value. Because of the vast implementation scope and focused scientific excellence - DIH UM partners immerse in many local, regional and global value chains, e.g. varying from global automotive value chains to regional health-care value chains and local agrofood value chain.

The services that Digital Innovation Hub is offering to regional business are divided in three main pillars:

Produce and share knowledge:

Skills and education (DIH UM organizes workshops, courses in the field of digitalization and also provides instant access to its available and extensive R&D infrastructure for educational purpose)
Financing innovation (DIH UM provides expert help to companies on identification of funding opportunities, consultancy for the application for local and EU grants, consultancy for the application for private investments).
Business support and consultancy (DIH UM offers expert assistance in assessment of business ideas; feasibility studies and offers assistance in preparing business plans. Furthermore, we offer advice on technology transfer, intellectual property protection and other related issues)
Search for international partners (DIH UM provides support to organizations seeking to sell or install new technologies for partners in international research, technology and innovation projects)

Co-develop, test, and launch new products and services

Strategic research and development projects and contract research (DIH UM foster the establishment of successful partnerships for the joint implementation of R&D projects)
Experimentation / Prototyping (DIH UM provides technical support on company’s scale-up and also provides instant access to its available and extensive R&D infrastructure)
Testing phase (DIH UM provides product demonstration for companies)

Nourishing the digital innovation ecosystem

Community building (DIH will strengthen its community with time through different formal networks, such as EEN, KTT, DTC, DEMOLA, VZHODNA.SI, etc.)
Strategy development (DIH UM will assist local, regional and national government in content preparation of strategies and policies in the field of digitalization; furthermore it will assist companies in development and implementation of digitalization strategies)

The coordinator of the DIH:UM is University of Maribor (UM) - the second largest university in Slovenia and the largest knowledge provider in East Slovenia cohesion region with approximately 13,000 students and 17 faculties offering a full specter of natural and social study programmes. UM is very entrepreneurially oriented and thus has strong partnerships established with businesses, governmental and non-governmental organizations and other institutions in order to initiate concrete projects contributing to new jobs and new products with high added value; to address key societal issues; and to promote sustainable development and contribute to the public good. Digital technologies.