Expanding horizons: EDIH Network Summit 2024 connects Europe and beyond

The second edition of the EDIH Network Summit, held on 26 and 27 November in Brussels, brought together a remarkable audience of digital innovation enthusiasts and leaders from across Europe and beyond. Hosted at The Egg Conference Centre, the hybrid event exceeded expectations, cementing its place as a key annual gathering for the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) community.

The numbers speak for themselves: over 700 participants attended in person, while more than 1,100 joined online, with representatives from 43 countries and the participation of more than 200 digital innovation hubs. The summit also facilitated over 90 matchmaking meetings, fostering collaborations to drive Europe’s digital transformation forward.

A spotlight on key topics and insights

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital transformation were at the heart of the discussions, with keynote speakers offering their insights into the challenges and opportunities ahead. 

Recently, the EDIH Network became part of the EU AI Office within DG CNECT. Roberto Viola, Director-General of DG CNECT, emphasised that embracing AI will be the core mission of the Digital Innovations Hubs, with 80% of them already active in doing so. DG Viola expects them to be instigators of profound change, helping SMEs and traditional companies navigate and benefit from the AI revolution.

DG Viola also outlined three priorities for the EDIHs as they adapt to the age of AI: attracting and retaining the right talent by involving skilled and diverse individuals, ensuring access to robust computing capabilities and resources, and specialising in specific sectors where they can make the most significant impact, such as agritech and robotics.

Lucilla Sioli, Director of the AI Office at DG CNECT, celebrated the EDIH network’s growth and impact. More than 18,000 services have been provided to over 10,000 SMEs and public sector organisations, and the network continues to expand to neighbouring countries like Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine, and Kosovo.

The expansion of EDIHs was also highlighted by Małgorzata Nikowska, Head of Unit for AI Innovation and Policy Coordination in DG CNECT. Newly associated countries like Bosnia and Moldova were represented at the summit. The goal is to continue the network’s primary objective: supporting SMEs in their digital transformation journeys.

Celebrating excellence: the EDIH Network Awards

A highlight of the summit was the first-ever EDIH Network Awards, recognising exceptional contributions to digital transformation across Europe. The awards underscored the EU’s commitment to fostering innovative, sustainable, and human-centred solutions.

The winners demonstrated remarkable talent and ingenuity in five categories:

• Green Digitalisation: Catalonia Digital Innovation Hub (DIH4CAT) for ARACNE

• Human-Centered AI: Enabling Digital Transformation in Hesse (EDITH) for The Future of Theatre 

• Digital Skills: HealthHub Finland (HHFIN) for Collaboration Promises to Revolutionise Healthcare Education 

• Collaboration: European Digital Innovation Hub for Industry, Agrofood and Energy sectors in Lithuania (EDIH4IAE.LT) for Innovative Alliances 

• People’s Choice Award: Canary Islands Digital Innovation Hub (CIDIHUB) in partnership with ARAGON EDIH and T4EfficiencyEDIH for Triangular Series

Looking ahead

The summit not only featured influential keynote speeches and celebrated achievements, but also offered a full day of parallel sessions with a diverse range of discussion topics, workshops and panels, further promoting collaboration. 

Discussions highlighted the importance of expanding the EDIH Network to include countries beyond the EU. With digital transformation at the forefront, the network remains committed to tackling emerging challenges and unlocking new opportunities.

To watch the recording of the event and learn more about the speakers, visit the summit’s dedicated webpage.