FAB4 Digital Innovation Hub Confartigianato Salerno

FAB4 DIH - Confartigianato Salerno is a non-profit networked knowledge system made up of Confartigianato Salerno, SELLALABhttps://sellalab.com/, Medaarch S.R.L.https://www.medaarch.com/and Knowledge for Business S.R.L. https://www.kforbusiness.it/, whose mission is to support the creation and promotion of innovation technology transferfor innovative start-ups and micro, small and medium sized enterprises based in Campania, in particular in the agrifood sector.

FAB4 aims at promoting the process of digital transfromation by:

• supporting start-ups in open innovation and digital transformation processes;

• boosting crafts activities through digital and new technologies;

• acting as a regional innovation technology provider;

• providing technology infrastructures and know how in order for start-ups and SMEs to reach an optimal technological horizon and a high level of digitization;

• assiting start-ups and SMEs in innovative project applications and implementation;

• providing accessto knowledge and infrastructure for validation and testing of innovations through a strong defined partnership with local research centers and universities;

• creatingsector projects in order to raise awareness on theneeds of specific artisan's categories and respond through innovative solutions.

In order to implement those activities, as a DIH, FAB4 coordinates a network of consultancy, training, research, design companies, professionals and NGOs specialized in the digital fabrication technologies, providing technological innovation in order to create a positive impact on manufacturing, education, work processes and sustainability. In particular, FAB4 DIH Confartigianato Salerno supports and develops, the implementation of different knowledge-transfer activities together with its FAB4 DIH special partners (Medaarch, Knowledge for Business, SELLALAB). Thoseactivities are:

• C.A.D - Centro per l'Artigianato Digitale, Incubator and Technological Services for Digital Craftsmanship.CAD is an Innovation Center, a training and technological hub, designed to help craftsmen, start-ups and SMEs to innovate through digital and new technologies. It aims atbeing a concrete example of how tradition and innovation can not only coexist, but together they would represent the real key to the growth and relaunch of production activities.

• Mediterranean FabLab - Digital Design and Manufacturing services, is an equipped laboratory with digital manufacturing machines and technologies for the prototyping of objects, tools and electronics. The Mediterranean FabLab is a meeting place for people of all ages open to research and innovation, itis also a hub of creative processes capable of creating, through participatory innovation, training, research and production scenarios that can meet the needs of the new market and support the revitalization ofbusiness. It focuses on architecture projects and smart cities, giving space to ideas and products that use technologies to improve the quality of life.

• BIOlogic - Digital Manufacturing in the Biological Sector,supports the development of research and projects for bio-based manufacturing and it is the first bio-fab labin southernItaly structured as a research and development center, which uses biological fabrication technologies to create biological matrix products to develop new manufacturing processes. BIOlogic has active research lines ranging from the creation of materials with intelligent properties, functional to the development of a green manufacturing, up to the creation of 3D printers for controlled-release multivolumetric capsules, useful for agriculture and food integration.

Working with those innovation partners is essential for the implementation of technology transfer processes to start ups and SMEs and the development of their digital competences and it is functional to the coordination of the activity of the FAB4 DIH.

In September 2018, FAB4 DIH Confartigianato Salerno signed a Framework Agreement with the University of Salerno in order to define the cooperation between the two parties aimed at supporting innovation and digital transformation processes of SMEs and craft businesses, by:

• Developing collaborative research and technology transfer projects;

• Design and implement advanced training activities for businesses;

• Promotingthe use of laboratories, facilities and technological skills available in the University for start ups and SMEs;

• Supportingthe process of setting up and developing start-ups and academic spin-offs aimed at enhancing research activities.