This workshop was oriented to regional authorities and covered topics such as the effective methods to create synergies between regions and funding opportunities based on the smartization report elaborated in the framework of the L4MS project, explained by Thibaud DUBRULE from FundingBox. He spoke about the Smartization Toolkit explaining the Smartization Approach based on the L4MS label implementation, understanding open calls, regions, DIHs and best practices and how to sustain this approach.
After this, our colleague Kuba KRUSZELNICKI from FundingBox, presented the DIH² project and pipeline of open call opportunities for RDAs. Among the information shared are the calendar of open calls, ongoing and future cascade funding opportunities for regions and their local companies. He explained how the DIH² project facilitates connections that enable agile production in factories where speed and versatility are essential to satisfy customer demand.
Following this, two DIHs were invited to share their experiences in follow-up funding methodologies. Firstly, Lise-Ann Sheahan from IMR explained that DIH² accelerates factories through robotics. She gave us an overview of the challenges and barriers for SMEs such as high initial costs for robots (part of workers toolbox or autonomous), limited skills and know-how in the factory, etc. She remarked the importance of being supported by funding opportunities and the different ways you can make the most of them, such as the open calls in the project. She finalized her intervention by showing how the first DIH² open call was.
Afterwards, Pedro ROCHA from PRODUTECH gave us an overview of funding instruments & synergies by illustrating practical examples in the DIHs. He underlined the importance of supporting the digital transformation of the industry.
After these interesting presentations, our colleague Arturo IBAÑEZ from FundingBox asked some questions to start a discussion. First, he talked about the barriers and opportunities for follow up funding schemes. Pedro ROCHA said that these opportunities are interesting and a requirement if we want to promote the modernisation of our companies. Lise-Ann Sheahan considered that the instruments are amazing, but that more factors need to be integrated to reach greater mass.
Second, how can regions and DIH collaborate to design and implement follow-up funding? Pedro ROCHA shared his opinion by saying that programmes sometimes have their own rules, and this could create difficulties for companies to follow them. Hence, DIH and all actors within technology must come together and help each other.
Throughout the meeting, Thibaud DUBRULE, Kuba KRUSZELNICKI and Arturo IBÁÑEZ, from FundingBox presented the Digitalisation WG App, digital tools an application to facilitate the access to regions to the calendar of open calls and also to help them discover the performance and trends of your regional companies in European programmes. We invite you to test our app at eurada.glideapp.io.
In the final part of the meeting Andreja ŠEPERAC from SIMORA, Development Agency of Sisak-Moslavina county (Croatia) presented its good practices and challenges in its regional DIH: the PISMO incubator related to gaming. Afterwards, Silvia DE LA MAZA from Innovalia explained the DIH-World open call which seeks innovative experiments across Europe that integrates digital technologies in the processes, products or services of manufacturing SMEs.
To wrap up the meeting Kuba KRUSZELNICKI gave a summary of all the topics that were presented and mentioned some comments on the app presented.
DIH² is now launching an open call to induct new members and increase the reachability of the network to all regions of Europe. In this call for offers, DIH² will select at least 132 organisations to join the DIH² network and receive up to EUR 10,000 for their active participation in the network.
Apply now and join the DIH² network.
