The European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) Network is excited to announce its upcoming Annual Summit, taking place on 31 May – 1 June at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Brussels. Supported by the Digital Transformation Accelerator (DTA), this event will officially launch the EDIH Network and strengthen the network’s core mission of assisting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in driving digital transformation throughout Europe.
The Annual Summit will bring together EDIH representatives, decision-makers, and experts from the digital transformation community to exchange knowledge and best practices on the most effective methods to help SMEs achieve their digital goals. The main objective of the summit is stimulate the EDIHs’ sense of community and knowledge sharing that will empower and facilitate them in delivering high-quality services to SMEs.
More than 250 European Digital Innovation Hubs from across Europe form the EDIH Network. These hubs play a crucial role in equipping SMEs with the resources they need to thrive in the digital age. They offer a wide range of services, including testing and experimentation facilities, training and mentoring, access to finance, and networking opportunities.
During the Annual Summit, attendees (members of the EDIHs and policymakers) will interact and discuss how digital trends and technologies can be effectively incorporated into the services of the EDIHs. The event will feature a variety of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking sessions, providing participants with ample opportunities to connect and engage with like-minded professionals. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from each other and exchange experiences and views with their peers.
The European Digital Innovation Hubs Network has a leading role in digitally transforming and bolstering EU enterprises. The overarching aim of the EDIH Network is to support the EU to achieve its Digital Decade 2030 targets by:
- accelerating the digital transformation of the private and public sector across the EU by driving the uptake of advanced digital technologies – target to transform 75% of EU companies into Cloud/AI/Big Data users;
- doubling the number of ‘unicorns’in the EU (startups that reach a valuation of $1 billion and are not listed on the stock market);
- ensuring that 90% of SMEs in the EU have at least a basic level of digital maturity;
- creating new European value chains.
EDIH Network Annual Summit 2023
General information
- EDIH Network website
- EDIH social media: Twitter, LinkedIn
Background
The European Commission (EC) supports the acceleration of the digital transformation of Europe’s economy and society with the full deployment of a network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). An EDIH can be a single entity or a coordinated group of entities with complementary expertise. Their not-for-profit objective is to support (on a large scale) the digital transformation of companies, especially SMEs and small mid-caps, and/or public sector organisations conducting non-economic activities. EDIHs provide services such as test before investing, training and skills development, support to find investments, networking and access to innovation ecosystems.
The EDIH Network, financed via the Digital Europe Programme, focuses on delivering cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, high-performance computing and advanced digital skills. The network’s core goal is to boost the capacities of SMEs and the public sector by integrating these technologies into their products and services. With every EU region supported by at least one local EDIH, they also become major players in the regional innovation ecosystem.
