29 June 2022
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At the Smart Industry Annual Event in Nieuwegein today, Minister of Economic Affairs Micky Adriaansens signed a cooperation agreement with five 'hubs'. The establishment of the five hubs involves an investment of 30 million euros, made available by the European Commission, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Change and a number of provinces. Over the next three years, approximately 3,500 companies and 200,000 people will be supported in the application of new digital technologies.
Digitalization is now the linchpin of business innovation strategy. The use of data and technologies such as AI, the Internet of Things, or 3D printing are increasingly the norm. While large companies are investing heavily in these, this is more difficult for Small and Medium Industry (SME) companies.
Network of European Digital Innovation Hubs
The European Union has therefore established a European network to help companies discover and test digital technologies, gain digital skills and help them obtain funding to implement these technologies. In the Netherlands, the choice has been made to establish five of these 'European Digital Innovation Hubs' (EDIHs). Through European cooperation, the best examples from Europe can serve as inspiration for Dutch companies, Dutch companies have easy access to unique knowledge from other countries and companies can profile themselves on a European stage. Currently, similar support is provided through the so-called 'Smart Industry Hubs'. These five regional support hubs have served as a model for the five new Dutch EDIHs. The EDIHs will start working from the fourth quarter of 2022 to support companies in a wide range of economic sectors in the digital transformation of their business operations.
Getting started with EDIH Zuid-Nederland
"The EDIH South Netherlands contributes to the digitization of and data sharing by the manufacturing and maintenance industry in supply chains in key sectors such as agro-food, process industry, logistics, high-tech systems, semicon, automotive and medical. We profile ourselves on digitization & data sharing in high-tech supply chains and the relevant technologies for that such as data/digitization, AI, cybersecurity, digital twinning, and on AR/VR for very complex, mixed applications. SME entrepreneurs often do not know where to start and where to go. The EDIH South Netherlands helps entrepreneurs get started in an accessible, practical way." says Gerard Blom, program coordinator of Smart Industry Hub Zuid. "The European Digital Innovation Hub for South Netherlands offers entrepreneurs a wide range of concrete opportunities and an extensive infrastructure of data & digitization facilities. Entrepreneurs can get help with practical information, screening of the company, expert advice & guidance, drafting concrete action plans, engaging independent experts, practical workshops, round table meetings, learning-from-each-other circles and also with intensive coaching and mentoring. In the new EDIH cooperation, in addition to the cooperation with the other national EDIHs, we now have access to a larger international network. Entrepreneurs can make good use of that." says Frank Donders, Business Development Manager South Netherlands of FME.
South Netherlands cooperation for optimal SME support
The new EDIH South Netherlands collaboration is made possible by support from the European Commission, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, Province of Noord-Brabant, Province of Limburg, Province of Zeeland and is a joint effort of the Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM), Economische Impuls Zeeland, REWIN West-Brabant, Midpoint Brabant, Brainport Development, FME Association, Koninklijke Metaalunie, Brainport Industries, TNO, AgriFood Capital, Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute (EAISI), EIT Digital, Brightlands Smart Services Campus, Jheronimus Academy of Data Science (JADS) and LIOF. SME entrepreneurs in Limburg who would like to know more about the possibilities and the concrete services on offer can make an appointment with Ruud Nissen or a handy Pdf-overview download containing all services, physical innovation hotspots and Fieldlab experiment locations.