General details
EDIHs involved
Challenges
EDIHs have different challenges to work for in order to provide the best quality services and assistance to SMEs, PSOs, etc.
EDIHs are especially active at a regional and national scale, closer to the companies in their region. Therefore, the logic brings SMEs to their physically closer EDIH. This is the ideal case, since the EDIH located in the same region can assist better the needs of these SMEs.
Nevertheless it is seen that at certain cases the collaboration and joint work among different EDIHs could reinforce the already existing services provided to these SMEs and complement technology and capacity of the main areas of expertise of the EDIHs with others available by other EDIHs.
There is a clear need of real and active collaboration of EDIHs for the benefit of SMEs. With the aim to provide not only the best services possible based on the capacities of their EDIHs but to multiplicate these with the capacities, the three EDIHs: CIDIHUB, EDIH Aragon, Tech4EfficiencyEDIH have created the joint alliance called TRIANGULAR SERIES.
In this context, it is essential to develop a clear cooperation framework, focusing on the details of collaboration mechanisms, and designing replicable protocols that can be shared with other EDIHs. Such a protocol would hold significant value.
While all EDIHs are actively working towards this collaborative approach, not all mechanisms are easily transferable or validated.
As a result, there is considerable opportunity to propose, validate, and share solutions that can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery by the EDIHs.
Among the difficulties that this challenge encounters we find : (1) defining tailored digitalisation projects for each beneficiary, (2) identifying and selecting experts in the relevant digital technologies for each project, (3) establishing collaboration protocols between technology providers, and (4) optimising the resources allocated to different digital projects.
Solutions
Triangular Series is a collaboration scheme being piloted by three EDIHs in Europe, CIDIHUB in the Canary Islands, ARAGON EDIH in Aragon and T4E in Extremadura. It is an experimental response to the main collaboration challenges introduced before. It has been designated by EDIHs focused on complementary technologies and with vast experience in different industries. In this respect, the initial situation is conducive since the complementarity is evident and provokes a more productive response for the participant EDIHs.
We together designed and detailed the common protocol and boosted an initial service together to validate the common approach. Additionally, we designed a joint and shared communication plan, to maximize the results of both the initial service and the common protocol.
The initial service to validate the approach was a collaborative and shared training programme. The programme itself was conceived around two main pillars:
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Digital Skills for SMEs
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Industry-specific digital tools and methodologies.
Results and Benefits
The main result of this collaboration initiative is the detailed collaboration scheme itself together with the exponential growth in the number of services provided by each participating EDIH, given that TRIANGULAR SERIES precisely seeks to increase the number of SMEs that receive "test before invest" services. On top of that, we expect that this collaboration programme will also impact in the number of Digital Maturity Assessments that the three EDIHs will be doing in the next 12 months.
Additionally, TRIANGULAR SERIES also proposes a joint communication programme together with the validation action focused on a common digital skills programme that is shown below.
As the validation action is centred on two main pillars: (1) Digital Skills for SMEs and (2) Industry-specific digital tools and methodologies, the details of the programme are presented in the next two tables:
Webinars |
Organisation |
1. Cibersecurity oriented to SMEs |
CIDIHUB |
2. Artificial Intelligence-Cognitive systems: principles, services and practical use for SMEs |
EDIH ARAGON |
3. Quantum service oriented computing for the benefit of SMEs |
T4E DIH |
4. High performance computing to support the design of solutions to meet the requirements of SMEs |
CIDIHUB |
5. AI language processing; principles and success stories of SMEs |
EDIH ARAGON |
6. Industrial Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for SMEs |
T4E DIH |
Webinars |
Organisation |
1. Tourism Industry. Digital tools and methodologies for SMEs |
CIDIHUB |
2. Health Industry. Digital tools and methodologies for SMEs |
EDIH ARAGON |
3. Smart Agrofood Industry. Digital tools and methodologies for SMEs |
T4E DIH |
4. Creative Industries. Digital tools and methodologies for SMEs |
CIDIHUB |
5. Transport Industry. Digital tools and methodologies for SMEs |
EDIH ARAGON |
6. Renewable Energies Industry. Digital tools and methodologies for SMEs |
T4E DIH |
Perceived social/economic impact
TriangularSeries is a very successful collaboration experiment among EDIHs in Europe. We have created an impact ecosystem connecting people and pushing collaboration beyond the line. This joint experience is focused not only on specific activities but also on a full alliance in digital competences centred on SMEs and Public Administration. The three initial EDIHs launching the programme expects to increase the impact of the alliance beyond the current activity-focused results to impact in the whole regional ecosystem. The perceived social and economical impact is huge as all SMEs in the target regions will benefit of this common approach basically focused on competencies and efficiency. To put it more clearly, TriangularSeries will save time, efforts and money of EDIHs and participating SMEs and entrepreneurs.
TriangularSeries is providing its own evaluation model combining EDIH training, quality assurance, and stakeholder engagement to produce accurate and useful results. Through this proven process we are delivering cost-effective activities and practical recommendations to advance the impact of digital development at regional level. We can provide accurate data in the next chapter "measurable data".
Measurable data
As TRIANGULAR SERIES is a collaboration mechanism focused on cutting-edge technologies such as cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence or Robotic Process Automation, the consortium is looking for a big impact in the number of technological services that each EDIH is going to provide over the next 12 months. In this respect, CIDIHUB + T4E + ARAGON EDIH, has measured the following data linked to the implementation of TRIANGULAR SERIES.
Number of SMEs impacted by TRIANGULAR SERIES. 435 in the Canary Islands, 325 SMEs in Extremadura and 510 SMEs in Aragon, adding up a total number of 1.270 SMEs knowing about the cutting-edge technologies disseminated by the programme.
Number of DMAs done thanks to TRIANGULAR SERIES. We expect an average number of 75 DMAs per EDIH, thanks to the participation of new SMEs in the initiative. The total number of extra DMAs is 225 new DMAs.
Number of Test before invest -TBI- services derived from TRIANGULAR SERIES. The participating EDIHs have analysed the potential number of new TBI services coming in thanks to the initiative. Specifically, we expect an average of 25 new TBI services per EDIH, adding up a total number of 75 new TBI services related to the the cutting-edge technologies disseminated by the programme.
Additionally, in terms of economical savings, CIDIHUB as the main EDIH participating in this collaboration alliance has analysed the economic impact of the initiative in savings per semester. In this context, we assume that the following productivity returns will be possible over the next three semesters and onwards:
Year |
Number of common/shared services provided |
Savings per EDIH participating |
2024 semester 2 |
12 |
15.000,00€ |
2025 semester 1 |
15 |
20.000,00€ |
2025 semester 2 |
20 |
25.000,00€ |
2026 and onwards (yearly) |
45 |
50.000,00€ |
The savings have been calculated per EDIH participating in the initiative. Today, as the scheme is shared among 3 EDIHs, the expected yearly savings for all 3 after the initial period of 18 months (under the current DEP programme) will be 150.000 € in savings, given that similar benefits will come to the two other partner EDIHs in the programme.
Lessons learned
Do's:
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Prioritise Co-design:
Understand the importance of co-designing a complex, multilayered alliance. Collaborating on the development of protocols and tools ensures that all partners contribute and align with the project’s goals. -
Dedicate Time to the Process:
Allocate sufficient time for co-design, as demonstrated by the 4 months spent by partners working together. This ensures thorough planning and consideration of different perspectives. -
Validate the Approach:
Test the approach in a singular action before finalising the scheme. This validation step helps identify potential obstacles, challenges, and risks early on, leading to a more effective final protocol.
Don'ts:
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Don’t Rush the Co-design Process:
Avoid rushing through the co-design phase. The complexity of a deep alliance requires time and effort to ensure all elements are thoroughly considered and aligned. -
Don’t Finalise Without Testing:
Don’t implement the final version of the protocol without first testing and validating the approach. Skipping this step could result in unforeseen issues that may hinder the success of the collaboration.
The Benefits of the collaboration
The primary objective is to design a common and coordinated collaboration programme focused on Digital Skills and beyond, providing SMEs with access to the latest digital technologies. This approach not only benefits the participating EDIHs by maximising the use of public resources, but also enhances the experience for the end users. The coordinated training programme offers higher quality and a broader technological perspective by incorporating diverse expertise into a unified framework. Furthermore, the programme effectively combines technological and sector-specific approaches, ensuring optimal relevance and impact for the beneficiary SMEs.
Lessons learned – do’s and don’ts of the collaboration
Do's:
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Emphasise Co-design: Collaborate closely on the co-design of complex alliances for better alignment.
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Allocate Sufficient Time: Dedicate enough time (e.g., 3 months) to ensure thorough planning and development.
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Validate the Approach: Test the protocol through initial actions to identify risks before finalising.
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Combine Tech and Sector Approaches: Balance technological and sector-specific approaches for optimal SME services.
Don'ts:
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Don’t Rush Co-design: Avoid speeding through the planning phase; proper time is crucial.
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Don’t Skip Validation: Finalising without testing can leave hidden risks unaddressed.
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Don’t Focus Only on Technology: Ensure sector-specific needs are also considered for effective solutions.