European networks forge alliance to drive companies’ digitalisation

During the Enterprise Europe Network Annual Conference held in Bilbao from November 15 to 17, 2023, an alliance among key European networks driving digitalisation took center stage.

On Friday, 17 November, the panel discussion titled ‘Working with Digital Innovation Hubs on the SME Digitalisation Journey’ showcased a roadmap for this union, highlighting a collective vision for advancing the digitalisation of the European business landscape. 

At the forefront of this effort is the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) Network’s Digital Transformation Accelerator (DTA), in collaboration with the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content, and Technology (DG CNECT), and the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW).

The session introduced a brand-new set of guidelines aimed at enhancing collaboration among Europe’s core networks: the EDIH Network, the Enterprise Europe Network, and the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP).

Gaspard Demur, Deputy Head of Unit for Digital Transformation of Industrial Ecosystems, DG CNECT, European Commission, emphasised that ‘the collaboration of the EDIH Network with EEN Network members and the EU Clusters is excellent’, heralding the new strategic guidelines’ potential to further strengthen this relationship. 

These guidelines, now available on the EDIH Network website, underwent a rigorous development process that began during the EDIH Annual Summit 2023. They cover key aspects of the services offered by the four EU networks to EU business on their digital transformation journey: Testing before Investment, Skills and Training, Supporting Investment, and Building an Innovation Ecosystem and Networking.

Underlining the group’s commitment to the EU Digital Decade objectives, DTA representative David Vidal emphasised: ‘The European Commission’s ambitious aim, targeting 75% of EU companies to leverage Cloud, AI, or Big Data while fostering growth among digital scale-ups, and propelling over 90% of SMEs towards foundational digital intensity, embodies the cornerstone of our work. With the unveiling of the guidelines in Bilbao, our primary focus is to facilitate the digitalisation journey of European SMEs. We aim to offer comprehensive guidance, seamlessly integrating services provided by EDIHs, the EEN, and the EU Clusters’.

With its strong emphasis on collaborative synergy among vital networks, this initiative is poised to unlock new opportunities for innovation, economic growth, and sustainable digital progress across the EU.