Advanced Forming Research Centre’s Scottish Regional Manufacturing Digital Innovation Hub (SRMDIH) is a collaborative venture between the University of Strathclyde, Scottish Enterprise, the UK Government and leading multinational engineering firms.  It is one of seven technology and innovation centres, which together make up the UK High-Value Manufacturing Catapult and is the only HVM centre located in Scotland, creating an internationally recognised, £125M research programme in Scotland.  Formed in 2009, the AFRC is a globally recognised centre of excellence in metal forming research, manufacturing technologies and innovation. 

Advanced Forming Research Centre’s Scottish Regional Manufacturing Digital Innovation Hub (SRMDIH)is a not-for-profit hub and led by National Manufacturing Institute Scotland’s Advanced Forming Research Centre at the University of Strathclyde. The SMRDIH is based in NMIS’s AFRC and a potential DIH due to the Manufacturing Industry Digital Innovation Hubs- MIDIH project funded by Horizon2020. The SMRDIH provides a new support mechanism for Scottish manufacturing SMEs to enable them to improve productivity and competitiveness and connect into a smart product, smart supply chains and smart factory through the adoption of Cyber-Physical Systems and Internet of Things (CPS/IoT) technologies and circular economy with the cross-cutting elements of digitisation and sustainability.  The SMRDIH will focus on activities that include raising awareness of the advantages of CPS/IoT technologies, providing education on and access to CPS/IoT technologies, assistance with raising finance for capital expenditure, and stimulating commercialisation activity amongst manufacturers and suppliers of CPS/IoT equipment.

The SMRDIH is a non for profit hub and led by Advanced Forming Research Centre to provide a new support mechanism for Scottish manufacturing SMEs to enable them to improve productivity and competitiveness and connect into a smart product, smart supply chains and smart factory through the adoption of Cyber-Physical Systems and Internet of Things (CPS/IoT) technologies.  The Hub will focus on activities that include raising awareness of the advantages of CPS/IoT technologies, providing education on and access to CPS/IoT technologies, assistance with raising finance for capital expenditure, and stimulating commercialisation activity amongst manufacturers and suppliers of CPS/IoT equipment.

The SMRDIH provides a new support mechanism for Scottish manufacturing SMEs to enable them to improve productivity and competitiveness and connect into a smart product, smart supply chains and smart factory through the adoption of Cyber-Physical Systems and Internet of Things (CPS/IoT) technologies and circular economy with the cross-cutting elements of digitisation and sustainability.

The SMRDIH will create an innovation and collaboration space through working with Scotland Can Do and National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), to empower Scotland to become a world-leading, entrepreneurial, and innovative nation. 

The primary focus of the SRMDIH will be to create economic benefit for the region by facilitating the adoption and implementation of CPS/IoT technologies amongst manufacturing SMEs in Scotland.  This will involve a three-pronged approach:-

Providing education on and access to CPS/IoT technologies for manufacturing SMEs in Scotland using Manufacturing Skill Academic.
Raising awareness of the advantages of CPS/IoT technologies amongst those manufacturing SMEs throughout Scotland who have not yet considered adopting such technologies for their business.  Awareness-raising activities will also target finance providers, as they must be made aware of the need for investment in digital manufacturing technologies.
By identifying where there is a need for new CPS/IoT solutions and providing resources for their development, the DIH will stimulate improved linkages to, and commercialisation activity amongst, manufacturers and suppliers of the ICT Innovation for Manufacturing SMEs I4MS-related equipment within the region.

A broad range of services is envisaged.  These can be grouped into five headings as follows:-

Awareness-raising activities — these will also target finance providers, as they must be made aware of the need for investment in digital manufacturing technologies. The NMIS/AFRC’s SRMDIH has launched a series of online webinars to help you develop your skills, enhance your knowledge and be inspired.

Up-to-date events: https://www.strath.ac.uk/research/advancedformingresearchcentre/events/

Education and training — developing and running workshops/short courses on:

CPS/IoT and related digital manufacturing technologies.
Digital business models, encourage SMEs to think differently and consider changing their business model.

Technology demonstrators – practical, relevant examples of CPS/IoT technologies to encourage their adoption and show companies what is possible.
One-to-one support for the adoption of CPS/IoT technologies.  This will include:

Initial assessment of the company’s manufacturing operation to determine suitability for CPS/IoT technologies.
Identification of potential commercial solution providers.
Assistance with the specification and implementation of appropriate CPS/IoT solutions.
Assistance with the business case and raising finance for capital expenditure.

 5. Stimulation, facilitation and coordination of collaborative research and development projects for new CPS/IoT solutions. Digital technologies.

Added Value Economics Research and Development Institute Association is the coordinator of the AddedValue DIH. This is a regional network of the most prestigious research and innovation organisations. AddedValue DIH caters for the specific needs and gaps of enterprises in its region, (nationally and globally) particularly SMEs, manufacturing companies and stakeholders nationwide. AddedValue DIH is supporting the manufacturing industry in all economic sectors. In addition, key sectors highlighted in Smart Specialisation Strategy will be supported, including artificial intelligence. Moreover, key sectors with increased economic output such as public administration, information technology will also be supported. The AddedValue DIH is a non-profit organization with legal personality, institutionalized, charitable public benefit organization. It is a research and knowledge-dissemination, completely transparent. AddedValue DIH in Füzesgyarmat and in Budapest offers “one-stop-shop” service - in cooperation with partner organisations in Hungary and abroad - for companies, associations that are looking for practical solutions for their problems when new innovative methods and modern (often digital) technologies can increase the efficiency and/or reduce the environmental impact of industrial production. It can provide practical advice and support to the SMEs in the region (nationally and globally) for their activities in digital technology development. It has experience in developing competitiveness of businesses and transforming them into policy inputs. 2000 SMEs received innovation benchmarking and mentoring services in the previous funding period. AddedValue DIH partnership hub has a broad access to regional and national SMEs. It has over a decade of experience with SME innovation management and benchmarking. The number of the pool partners exceeds 2000, covering all strategic sectors of the Hungarian economy. There are ongoing activities related to the SMEs at AddedValue DIH. It also supports a living, innovation-oriented partnership pool, which is a solid platform for the AddedValue DIH. It is a regular form for sharing insights and know-how. Digital technologies.

The Aarhus University Centre for Digitalisation, Big Data and Data Analytics (DIGIT) works to strengthen Aarhus University's position within the area of digitalization. DIGIT is one of Aarhus University’s strategic research centers working on developing solutions to the World’s Grand Challenges. The main disruptions happening to societies all over the world is driven by new innovations based on novel IT-based solutions. It is important to help the private and public sectors to conduct business in the most optimal way by developing relevant digital solutions. 

The center makes use of the unique opportunities that exist in the interaction between classical science, sector-oriented research and engineering activities. Through collaborations on joint research and innovation projects, we focus on developing research-based technologies and solutions to societal challenges, and actively invite industrial partners and the business sector, both locally, regionally, nationally and internationally to assure impact for the research projects.

As DIGIT is an initiative launched by Aarhus University, it operates under the Danish Act on Universities, i.e. government-funded within the public administration under the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation. The centre is a non-for-profit entity, funded by both internal and external funding entities. We are located at the Aarhus University Katrinebjerg Campus, with geographical proximity to the university's other programs in IT, information and media sciences. The area we live in is the core of Denmark's strongest IT environment with a network of over 100 companies, business promoters and approved technological institutes.

Vision: to carry out excellent cross-disciplinary research to provide a recognized contribution to the worldwide digital transformation of society to the benefit of mankind.

Mission: to strengthen Aarhus University's position in the general area of digitalization, both nationally as well as internationally.

DIGIT’s Research Activities: Big Data Analysis, Block chain, Cyber-Security, Digital Business Development, Internet of Things, Science and Engineering of Machine Intelligence, Smart products with focus on Cyber-Physical Systems. Our research is initially organized across these research themes for each of which we will achieve excellence. We are integrating world class fundamental and applied research activities within these digital disciplines across Business, Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering. In order to succeed, DIGIT is strongly committed to closely cooperate with relevant industrial and public partners.

DIGIT’s support to SMEs:

It is a regional priority to increase locals SMEs’s digital capacity, more specifically the ones in the manufacturing, healthcare, energy and agricultural areas. DIGIT is engaged in different collaborations with local SMEs, supporting their innovation, research and development activities. Examples to be mentioned here are: access to powerful computers and computer systems, contacts to highly specialized software developers, programmers and senior experts in the field (machine learning, IoT, AI, security, cyber physical systems, and so on), and cross-disciplinary collaboration with other departments working with digitalization challenges, like business development, mathematics and computer science. Finally, DIGIT can introduce and facilitate access to SMEs to a wide range of lab space and facilities at the Department of Engineering, Aarhus University like ICE-lab, Robotics-lab and others. Visit http://eng.au.dk/en/research/laboratory-facilities/ for further information.

Digital technologies.

The Center for Robotics in Healthcare is the central one-stop-shop for enterprises, researchers or clinicians, who would like to engage in the field of healthcare robotics and are looking for support and partners to develop innovative ideas into products. Serving as the main entry gate to the regional Digital Innovation Hub, the CRH connects interested parties with the right institutions within the extensive and deeply rooted technological network in Aachen and the EUREGIO region. Digital technologies.

Consulting and support for innovative business from the idea and for all the entrepeneurship lifecycle.

7Technolopes de Bretagne is an association of the 7 technopoles of Britanny since 2014. The Région Bretagne has allowed to 7TB a mission to accompany the innovative companies in all the territory of Britanny.

7TB manages the regional incubator Emergys (http://www.incubateur-emergys.fr/) that helps technological innovative project to rise till the creation of a startup (entrepeneurship training, financing part of feasability ...).

We also manage a regional program support named "Expérimentation d’innovations numériques" (http://www.bretagne.bzh/jcms/prod_393702/fr/experimentation-d-innovatio…)  aimed to fast-track the development of numeric innovative in solutions in traditionnal business (in 2017, 36 candidates, 14 financial supports).

To help digitizing economy, we help breton companies to build innovative projects at the crossroads of numeric and traditionnal business (agriculture, fishing, health, industry). It can be, for example, by supporting their participation to regional and national program with Images&Réseaux, Pole Mer Bretagne Atlantique, Industrie 4.0, BDI, CCI Innovation ... like innovation contests. In that case, some of our members participate to H2020 program or Programme des Investissements d'Avenir (http://www.gouvernement.fr/investissements-d-avenir-cgi). Digital technologies.

The objective of 5TONIC is to create a global open environment where members from industry and academia, as well as R&D institutions, work together in specific research and innovation projects related to 5G technologies with a view to boost technology and business innovative ventures. The laboratory promotes joint project development and entrepreneurial ventures, discussion fora, events and conference sites in an international environment.

5G is expected to produce transformational, and potentially disruptive, changes to industries and entire economies, having a positive impact on their growth. As 5G becomes embedded in all kinds of devices, machines and services for fifferent industrial segment, it will play a similar role to electricity or transport infrastructures. 5TONIC is the place to develop and test new 5G based products and services in collaboration with other leading industries, suppliers and customers (with special focus on SMEs and start-ups), providing the network infrastructure for these purposes (we define this process as co-creation, as it involves all the stakeholders in the development of products and services). It also supports interoperability testing, so it is feasible to verify in 5TONIC the real interoperation between SME developed SW and the products of main industry (critical in a NFV/SDN environment), as well as among main industry. Finally, 5TONIC is also engaged in the techno-economic evaluation of the different use cases and applications identified, in order to ensure that 5G provides added value. Digital technologies.

5GBarcelona will design, develop, deploy and demonstrate, in operational conditions, a distributed cloud and radio platform for municipalities and infrastructure owners acting as 5G neutral.

  Digital technologies.

5GTNF is a 5G technology and service trialing infrastructure comprising of multiple interconnected sites around Finland. The collaborating sites form a joint innovation platform and ecosystem, which aims to serve the needs of both industry and academia. 5GTNF offers testing, trialing and piloting services as well as possibilities for bilateral cooperation within the ecosystem. With varying focus areas at different sites, 5GTNF can cover a large variety of vertical industry use cases by providing support for high data rates, low latencies, reliable communications and massive amount of devices. 5GTNF is a joint initiative between Finnish public and private sectors. Digital technologies.

The Public Private People Partnership Digital Innovation Hub - 4PDIH provides, connects and support knowledge, business and technology expertise, technologies, experimental and pilot environments, best practices, methodologies and other activities necessary to fully enable Slovene industry, public administration and communities in building digital competencies, innovation models and processes and support their digital transformation.

The aim of the 4PDIH is to create awareness and provide services to grow digital competencies, share digital experience and case studies locally, regionally and internationally, and support the government to adapt regulation and open its data to foster entrepreneurship.

4PDIH serves as a one-stop-shop for digital transformation and digital competence development. Moreover, 4PDIH is preparing a tool to predict the jobs and competences needed in the forthcoming years. As such, we are dealing with the challenge as a whole – by both re-qualification and upskilling of existing workforce, but also by developing new study programs that will produce workforce necessary for the digital age.

4PDIH is a national non-profit hub founded by public body University of Ljubljana, Faculty of electrical engineering, that operates with the support of strategic partners Association of Minicipalities and towns of Slovenia and and the FabLab network Slovenia, all non-for profit organisations. 

Mechanics and measures 4PDIH

4PDIH offers a supportive environment for development, testing and use of solutions in the field of the latest digital technologies to local communities, i.e. municipalities or consortia, start-ups, economic operators, scientific research institutions, educational institutions, public administrations, NGOs and individuals.

One of the focuses of 4PDIH is the analysis of the needs and current situation in the field of digitalization of Slovenian municipalities. The starting point is very local and will capture and analyze the demand and supply of existing service platforms based on the Internet of Things technology. The strategic guidelines and recommendations introduce these technologies to diverse communities.

An important part of 4PDIH is also the ICT Academy that operates under the umbrella of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana. The ICT Academy offers professional trainings in the field of cyber security, internet of Things, communications network and 5G, programming, data processing, blockchain technologies, multimedia and AR/VR digital transformation. The available courses help companies with the digital transformation processes, focusing on the practical challenges of each industry and concrete actions to adapt new business models. Involved companies are Telco operators (Telekom Slovenije, A1, Telemach, T2), vendors (Iskratel, Iskra Emeco, Aviat Networks, regulators (Agency for Communication Networks and Services of the Republic of Slovenia - AKOS), electricity providers (Elektro Ljubljana, Elektro Gorenjska), Ministry of Internal Affairs etc.

https://www.ict-academy.eu/en/ict-academy/about-ict-academy  Digital technologies.

3IF.be is the intiative in Belgium to support the digital transformation of manufacturing companies into Industrie 4.0, Industrial Internet and Industrial IoT. The platform connects manufacturers in different industries (process and discrete manufacturing), Digital Platform providers, IoT technology providers, connectivity and system integrators and advisory. Our role is to support the industry as a whole and to foster the development of the market, facilitate collaboration and drive the interest of the industry. We work together with research facilities such as KU Leuven, IMEC, Flanders Make, Flanders Food and SIrris in Flanders. We operate a fieldlab on Condition Based Maintenance and we are a partner of the Industrial Internet Consortium, the Industrial Data Space Association, the regional (Flanders) Industrie 4.0 initiative (https://www.industrie40.vlaanderen/), AIOTI, ECSO and we are an executive partner for Security guidance in the Connected Factories CSA coordinated by EFFRA for the Factories of the Future projects in Europe and the European Commission Connected Factories activities (https://www.effra.eu/connectedfactories), . 

Flanders Industry 4.0 strives to become a leader in new technologies and concepts in industry 4.0 such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, robotics, cybersecurity and other innovations. In so doing, it can strengthen its competitiveness and maintain prosperity in a rapidly changing world. (https://www.vlaanderen.be/nl/publicaties/detail/vision-2050)

3IF.be supports manufacturing and related companies in Europe, but mainly in Flanders in successfully managing the digital transformation. On the basis of experiences and methodologies, companies are being guided with advice and support in selection of technologies and processes towards the utlization of digital technologies throughout the production and supporting processes. The 3IF.be fieldlabs support this with practical implementations of demonstrators and use cases, amongsts other for condition based maintenance. 

3IF.be is a non-profit initiative, part of the non profit organization lsec.eu, with a physical presence in Belgium - Leuven - Heverlee and Brussels. Details of our activities can be found at http://www.3if.be

3IF is aligned with, and supports the smart specialisation strategies according to the S3 priorities in Flanders (http://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/regions/BE2/tags/BE2) of specialised manufacturing solutions, innovative work organization and smart systems. 3IF.be operates as a neutral entity, but supports different SME technology companies such as VersaSense, Factry, AllThingsTalk, Yazzoom, Cresent - Cloudgate, Factorythings and many others. 

3IF.eu operates multiple fieldlabs on Condition Based and Predictive Maintenance and Industrial Data Space.

3IF.eu has supported digital transformation of many organizations, including Reynaers Aluminium, Engie, Suez, Dymo, Ontex, Ordina, ... 

  Digital technologies.