Sep 22, 2017
In April 2016, the European Commission implemented the strategy for Digitising European Industry. The purpose of the strategy is to co-ordinate work in the field of industry digitisation, co-invest in the field of European digital innovations, provide the appropriate legal and regulatory framework, and to strengthen the necessary skills for digital transformation.
An important element of the strategy for Digitising European Industry is a project named “Smart Factories in new EU Member States”. The project is open to applications from organisations that aspire to play the role of so-called Digital Innovation Hubs - such as competence centres, incubators and accelerators, clusters, industry associations and public administration units. A selected group of such entities will be provided with a training programme and workshops, organised jointly by PwC and Oxford University Innovation (Oxentia), based on best market practices.
Digital Innovation Hubs are support centres that help businesses improve their market competitiveness, primarily through working on business and manufacturing processes, but also through developing digital products and services. These centres act as one-stop shops to provide businesses with access to technology, financial support, market analysis and networking.
Applications for the “Smart factories in new EU Member States” project will be accepted until 22 October 2017. The project is intended for the following EU countries: Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
“A select group of 30 Digital Innovation Centres from 13 new EU countries will receive a programme of practical training, workshops and mentoring to develop entrepreneurial skills that will address previously identified needs. The result will be the development of a dedicated business plan for each of the selected entities. In addition, the programme will provide broader access to knowledge sharing among these units and increase awareness and availability of new business funding opportunities – both for the programme participants and for the companies that support them”.
Submissions to participate in the programme may be filed from the aforementioned 13 EU Member States by entities from the list below:
Link to the application form: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/ApplicationForm
More about the project on the European Commission website: http://bit.ly/2xXdfqr
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