DIHNET.EU

Could you describe your DIH ecosystem and its development policy?

The Transilvania DIH gathers 7 clusters that were already very active in the region. At first, each of them was considering the opportunity to evolve as a DIH but soon enough we all agreed that the best approach was to build a regional DIH on the pillars that the pre-exiting clusters were constituting. They all had their own network of companies (SMEs & Midcaps), universities, industrial partners and startups and it would have been a mistake not to mutualise those powerful ecosystems and to consolidate them. So Transilvania IT, the Cluster I manage, was designated to be the orchestrator of this new DIH.

Although we have been, until now, working on an informal base, we are now considering to set-up a more formal structure. However, we want the DIH to remain an open structure with any new member fulfilling certain conditions of competences could join.

We are really convinced that DIH is the appropriate instrument to foster the regional ecosystem. During the Innovation Camp that we have organised on 5/6/7 March 2020, we had the opportunity to advocate for this concept. We were given the chance to clearly define the role that Transilvania DIH plays in the development of the local industries and the overall digitalisation process for the SMEs that includes the support given to competitive startups. We exchanged good practice concepts with international experts and with the European Commission.

We think it is a very important that each region can develop its ecosystem and its strength. We are not afraid to see other DIHs developing in our country and neighbourhood. On the opposite, there is so much to do! New partners are more than welcome. We are convinced that each region has its genuine assets and that we can all grow learning from each other’s.

What is your vision of DIHs development in Europe?

Funding to enable capacity building is crucial for DIHs to be able to help Europe to take the full benefit of the digitalisation revolution. As an NGO, we are in constant need of support in becoming competitive with the resources we are given. Focus on our core missions and consolidation of our services range is our number one aim.

Being an NGO, it is always a challenge for us to have enough resources to focus on our core missions and to consolidate our services offer. We strive to be relevant for the companies we are helping because we need to provide them with access to research infrastructure, strategic business expertise, offer services for intelligent strategic positioning on markets, as well as global, technological, social and economic trends. To afford to have a strong team that able to provide those competences, you also need to be involved in European projects.

The new concept of the European Digital Innovation Hub should be vital in encouraging the Member States to give more importance to the digital transformation of our economies. At the Transilvania DIH level, we are prepared and shaped to deliver the services that the European Commission is expecting from the European DIH.

What is according to you the added value of Pan-European collaboration?

Pan-European collaboration is key for us. We are involved in two projects funded under H2020 research programme:

• the DIH² project which aims at developing robotics in agile production.
• The BOWI project which has more to do with startups.

The Romanian companies that are part of the DIH have access to opportunities, services and resources that help them increase their digitalisation and innovative processes, their access to financing, to new markets. And they are assisted with expertise.

However, beyond European projects, it is very important to develop Pan-European collaboration. Even if we all know that there are some very different approaches in Europe concerning the Development of DIHs, it is very important for us to meet new potential partners, news alteregos with whom to share challenges, solutions and lessons learned.

We are currently building exchange with the Finish DIH of Pori and the Bulgarian DIH of Varna which is under construction.

In this regard, the catalogue proposed by the JRC has been a very useful tool for us, to get visibility and be offered opportunities for collaboration. I think the catalogue would gain with a regular update of its content and a regular update of the DIHs information and still, there is a need for such a tool where people can identify potential partners in specifics areas.

How many companies have been accompanied by the DIH only on the base of the DIH services?

During the past year, we have been able to provide services to more than 150 companies, starting with basic services of soft and technical skills trainings offered by our DIH, support in accessing H2020 open calls (such as DIH², where we offered support in matchmaking sessions for 30 companies), match making services and of course in concrete services in matters of digital transformation for companies.

For 2020, we plan on developing a “price-list” of services offered by Transilvania DIH, which will give a clear vision on services that could be accessed by ompanies and the revenues based strictly on the services provided. This practice will help us build a better range of services, based on the requests, and also offer a one-stop-shop on digital transformation services and products in the region.

Interview by Lucie Milcent, DIHNET