DIH4CAT(Catalonia Digital Innovation Hub) 1st year accelerating SMEs advanced digital transformation

By project AccelerateGDT

Published on 28 July 2023

Spain

Cataluña

About this good practice

DIH4CAT is a “one-stop-shop” where industry can be supported in their digital transformation by the region’s R&D community through a consolidated set of services, infrastructure and knowledge.

Technologies:
- AI
- Supercomputing & HPC
- Cybersecurity
- Smart Connectivity
- Photonics
- 3D printing & additive manufacturing
- Advanced manufacturing & robotics

Services:
Address various stages of an organisation’s transformation (awareness, diagnosis, consultation, training, validation, and access to testing infrastructure and equipment)

After one-year implementation, 102 company’s projects awarded with a maximum 20.000€/project, more than 80% of these projects are implementing advance technology as AI, advanced manufacturing and robotics, and cyber security. These technologies are the most implemented because AI is the technology with more potential to improve the competitiveness of the companies without making a big investment. It is also the technology prioritized by the EU jointly with cybersecurity and, in the Catalan hub is prioritised the advanced manufacturing and robotics because the hub id focused on industry.

Regarding the services, 66 awarded projects demanded technological feasibility studies, 49 demanded proof of concept services, 20 projects are developing prototypes and pilots and, 5 projects are analysing new business models. It is important to keep in mind that more than one type of service can be performed in the same project.

Resources needed

Total budget of the Catalan regional government’s coordination and 7 interconnected digital innovation nodes is 6M € over 3 years. It is funded by the EC and the Spanish government. Additionally, the Regional Government adds 3M€ and the National Government 2.7M€ for testing services.

Evidence of success

- Guidance: 135 guidance services (includes advice on funding schemes)
- Technological services: 14 technological training courses financed + 42 disseminated
- Open Innovation: 4 International Open Innovation webinars with 221 attendees
50 companies mentored by IESE, and 25 invited to Open Innovation Bootcamps
- Ecosystem and networks: EEN collaboration: 2 TECH MEETINGS and 2 brokerage events co-organized
30 Workshops, technology awareness sessions, and other connection activities

Potential for learning or transfer

The main reasons why DIH4CAT have been successful and could be transferred are:

1. The organization of the Hub. Coordinated by public agency (which helps in the coordination of the entities because some of them are competitors) and each entity is responsible for one technology area.
2. Combination of the funding sources (European, National and Regional funds)
3. Implication of technology clusters. According to the will of EC, every region will have one DIH, the countries that do not have one so far, could involve clusters in the hub if they are technologic. This is not the Catalan case because Catalan clusters are focused on the market. However, we are involving clusters in the follow-up and the closing of the project for instance reaching more sectors and adapting the training to each of them).