European Digital Innovation Hub on applied AI and Cybersecurity (EDIH-AICS)

Over the last few years, the EU has made particular efforts to promote broad-based digitalisation to provide targeted support for the digital transformation of the economy and society. The "Digital Agenda for Europe" marked an important step towards a "digital single market" from which the entire European economy should benefit. The "Digitising European Industry" (DEI) initiative is of particular significance in this context. It focuses on developing innovative products, improving processes, and adapting business models.

Digitisation of industry can be sped up by promoting collaborations between external partners, so-called "open innovation" thus unlocking significant innovation potential. This applies to both small and large companies. However, it is still the case that many companies primarily cooperate with organisations in their immediate vicinity, and that these collaborations are rarely initiated in a targeted manner, but often arise by chance. The Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) were created to professionalise this regional cooperation on the one hand and to make targeted use of required expertise from other European regions on the other. The network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) currently consists of 151 EDIHs, co-financed by the EU with 7.5 billion euros from the DEI initiative.

The EDIHs serve as regional contact points, as "one-stop shops", connecting companies directly with the right partners to support them with their digitalisation challenges. The services for start-ups, SMEs and medium-sized companies are mostly publicly funded and therefore typically free of charge for companies.

A particular focus of all EDIHs is on the use of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and high-performance computing. In addition to companies, public organisations can also take advantage of the EDIHs' digitalisation services, for example to digitalise administrative processes.

In Baden-Wuerttemberg, two EDIHs have been established: EDIH Südwest, coordinated by the Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft in Villingen-Schwenningen, and EDIH Artificial Intelligence & Cybersecurity (EDIH-AICS), coordinated by the Research Centre for Information Technology (FZI) in Karlsruhe. The application fields of EDIH-AICS include production, energy, mobility, trade and services. Steinbeis Europa Zentrum is one of the ten strong partners of the EDIH-AICS.

Steinbeis Europa Zentrum is partner in EDIC AICS

Steinbeis Europa Zentrum ensures the development of strategic partnerships and exchange between EDIH-AICS partners and their customers with European EDIHs, cluster and other networks such as the Enterprise Europe Network. Furthermore, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum consults on European funding opportunities, organises networking and matchmaking activities and offers trainings on intercultural aspects of project implementation.

Overall, EDIH-AICS partners support SMEs and public institutions in their green and digital transformation by providing services in the following areas:

• “Test before invest” - Experimentation spaces and experimental workshops
• “Skills and training” - Support and trainings aimed at skills development
• “Support to find investments” - Access to investments and advice on public funding programmes
• “Innovation ecosystem and networking” - Creation of a powerful regional and European innovation ecosystem through different types of networking activities

Further information:

• Funding: European Commission
• Project budget: 6 Million EUR
• Project duration: 02/2023 – 01/2026
• Project partners: Forschungszentrum Informatik, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum, Cyberforum, DIZ Digitales Innovationszentrum, Technologieregion Karlsruhe, Hochschule Karlsruhe, Fraunhofer IOSB, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (ITES), Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoffforschung Baden-Württemberg, CAS Software AG