I4MS presents at European Weeks of Regions and Cities

Digital transformation of manufacturing companies is a chance not only to achieve less waste on the production lines and have energy efficiency due to smarter solutions like sensors but also for a healthier and more inclusive society thanks to a cleaner environment and automation, thus transitioning to Industry 4.0 lies in the best interest of all of us.

What can your region gain from I4MS?

The session started with a presentation from Maria Roca, I4MS Project Manager, who shared a few words on the I4MS umbrella initiative and on the six-pilar-based catalogue which include categories ranging from business services to success stories and best practices in digitalisation.

I4MS Working Groups.

Begoña Sánchez (TEC) & Marjorie Grassler (MWC), partners of the I4MS and coordinators of the I4MS Working Groups, shared five key points to understand what these groups do and why are they so important:

To connect with stakeholders & community, and other relevant and interested actors and initiatives.
To discuss common challenges as well as how to overcome the identified gaps.
To identify and support best practices.
To look for synergies for the benefit of the European manufacturing industry.
To draw policy recommendations that could serve the European Commission as an inspiration for a potential launch of new programmes.
…and some recommendations resulted from the discussion that is oriented to digital transformation:

To set up a common vision and a shared digital transformation strategy, join the ecosystem actors and different policy levels.
To raise awareness and keep bringing together digital know-how and SMEs.
To keep on investing in skills and training.
To systematise FSTP, consider the broader use of innovative vouchers and novel funding mechanisms that blend public funding and private investment.
To bring more SME digital transformation success stories forward.
To exchange good practices in digital transformation policies among regional policymakers.

Challenges in the digital transformation process of SMEs and possible solutions

After an unprecedented period of the Covid-19 pandemic, European SMEs had to face another challenging twist in the economic paradigm – the energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. The rise in prices of commodities combined with roaring inflation across the continent is now on top of everyone’s agenda. And there is one more crisis on the horizon – climate change whose effects will stay with us for generations and will impact every aspect of our lives. Trapped in this havoc, many SMEs are focused on maintaining day-to-day operations and find it hard time to even consider investing in the latest technologies, many are too occupied with adjusting to the current economic climate to look for available funding to support their pursuit of digitalisation.

Our speakers Sandro D´Elia, Programme Officer at EC DG CNECT, Bianca Muntean, Coordinator of Transilvania European Digital Innovation Hub, and Orsolya Szaplonczay, Managing Director For Innoskart Digital Cluster joined us to help answer one important question

How to tackle the challenges in the digital transformation process of SMEs?

Some of the solutions mentioned were focused on promoting success stories, knowing the SME’s needs and facilitating access to public funding.

Watch the whole session here and tune in with our speakers.

Digital transformation of SMEs is a “long journey” and regions have an important responsibility to bring EC technologies closer to their SMEs, thus the importance of Digital Innovation Hubs to act as a “compass” for companies, leading them on their digital transformation journey.

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