Digital Innovation Hubs Annual Event 2018 to focus on the opportunities that DIH brings to EU industry
The 2018 edition of the Digital Innovation Hubs annual event will take place on November 27 – 28th, 2018 in Warsaw, co-organised this year by the European Commission, the Department of Innovation at the Polish Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology, and the EU-funded initiative I4MS.
The event, whose registration is now open, will bring together SMEs, start-ups, RTOs, DIHs and policy-makers from all around Europe with the objective of reinforcing the capacity of DIHs to support start-ups and SMEs in their digital transformation.
As per indicative programme, the different sessions in the programme will help organizations and competence centres set up fully functional DIHs, strengthen their technological and innovation as well as training services and foster cross-border cooperation with the objective of building new EU value chains. Sessions will also be dedicated to spread the presence of DIHs to underrepresented territories.
On the other hand, SMEs will have the opportunity to learn about the supporting structures and initiatives that can contribute to boosting their competitiveness and internationalisation through experimenting, networking, funding and inspiration. The event will also host an exhibition, showcasing inspiring experiments of European SMEs, supported by their regional DIHs.
Also, parallel to the exhibition, there will be a session for networking and matchmaking opportunities (speed dating, round tables…) between DIHs and SMEs, between SMEs in different countries and between DIHs, but also with other regional stakeholders. This session will include specific discussions around topics of interest to work in future European projects and around enabling technologies.
On the specific scope of I4MS initiative, the announcement of I4MS Disruptors Awards is expected on the 27th and an I4MS Bootcamp, to provide SMEs with training on how to attract additional funds from private or public sources, tips to build a winning pitch and tricks to work with corporates, will be held on the 28th in the framework of the I4MS Acceleration Programme.
