DIH-World project will widen the Digital Innovation Hubs network to enhance the digital transformation of the European SMEs

The DIH-World innovation action was launched on July 1^st with the goal of accelerating the development and consolidation of Digital Innovation Hubs and to improve the digitalisation of European SMEs. The project will last for three years, it has a budget of 8 million euros and 41 partners in 26 countries. The DIH-World project is supporting European SMEs in the development of sustainable competitive advantages and in the reach of global markets.

DIH-World is empowering Digital Innovation Hubs, one of the engines of the SMEs digital transformation, providing access to harmonized tools, proven technologies, effective methodologies, solid knowledge, smart investment sources, rich training assets and an environment of continuous innovation.

During these three years, the DIH-World project aims to accelerate the maturity of the Digital Innovation Hubs so as the development of their collaboration capabilities by capitalizing and taking advantage of the European networks in benefit of their local SMEs. DIH-World is supporting then the Digital Innovation Hubs by providing services to manufacturing ecosystems focusing on the most traditional and least digitized SMEs and Startups aiming to increase their competitiveness and sustainability through the use of digital technologies. The DIH-World Academy will provide the tools to train Digital Innovation Hubs so they can take SMEs to the next level through open calls for experiments, which will offer technological support to SMEs and medium-sized companies.

The DIH-World network includes 27 Digital Innovation Hubs and those will grow to a minimum of 72 with the launch of two open calls, one in 2021 and another one in 2022. DIH-World will be especially focused on those countries and regions with a lower level of digitalisation to establish a strong support system for digital transformation across Europe, also ensuring that all regions can take advantage of the opportunities offered by digital technologies.

DIH-World is led by the Spanish consultancy CARSA, who is coordinating and managing the project to guarantee the achievement of its goals. CARSA will also support the development of the DIH-World network; define, prepare and launch open calls for SMEs to  experiment with digital technologies; monitor the successful implementation of the experiments; as well as to support the DIHs to grow and scale-up.