EDIHs, spread across Member States, act as one-stop shops to support companies and public sector organisations in responding to digital challenges and becoming more competitive. They provide technical expertise, skills training, and advice on financing and on how companies can use digital technologies to tackle environmental issues. Digital Innovation Hubs are designed to help reach Europe’s Digital Decade goal of having more than 90% of SMEs reach at least a basic level of digital intensity by 2030. Over 150 EDIHs across Europe are supported by €314 million co-funding from the Digital Europe Programme.
Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton, said:
Digital Innovation Hubs are key in helping to boost competitiveness and innovation of our local actors, especially of the small and medium enterprises. SMEs are the backbone of our economy, but only half of them have a basic level of digitalisation. Our Innovation Hubs act as a testing ground for companies to flourish, test digital solutions, and develop the skills to use them. This will help to ensure that we reach our Digital Decade transformation of business targets, that we have thriving SMEs, and therefore a thriving Europe!
High-level keynote speakers addressed the summit, followed by a specific Member State panel focusing on cross-border cooperation. On the second day dedicated working groups cover topics such as digital health, EU support for the digitalisation of SMEs in countries outside the EU, support for SMEs that have a low-level of digitalisation, as well as best ways to work with existing networks such as the Enterprise Europe Network, Clusters, Startup Europe, and Cybersecurity Competence Centres, respectively.