#Wedigitize
The conference dedicated to the Call “Digital transformation of SMEs aimed at increasing digital intensity”, July 19, 2023, Rubik Hub, Piatra Neamț, where we were able to find out the prerequisites/eligible criteria you should meet to access funding under the Regional Program North-East, Priority 2-A more digitized region. Among these we mentioned:
- Questionnaire completion #WEdigitize;
- Obtaining a feasibility study by an IT provider or a digital innovation hub.
About Digital Innovation Zone
Digital Innovation Zone is the first digital innovation hub in the North-East Region, a bottom-up initiative since June 2019, which, based on the commitment of several public and private entities in the region with experience in innovation and digital solutions, has become a recognized structure at European level.
As a regional EDIH (European Digital Innovation Hub), it is a One-Stop-Shop type structure that supports companies and public institutions to become more competitive, offering access to 4 large categories of support services:
■ Digitization financing solutions;
■ New digital skills;
■ Connecting digital solution providers with customers and partners in the region and in Europe through access to the innovation ecosystem;
■ Facilities for testing new technologies before purchase.
The first digital innovation hub in the Northeast Region
In November 2020, the Digital Innovation Zone is selected by the Authority for the Digitization of Romania as a representative regional HUB for the European competition of EDIH (European Digital Innovation Hubs) from the Digital Europe program. So, in February 2022, he submitted the application for a financing of 4 Mil. Euros, 100% non-refundable, with which to carry out specific support activities for the digital transformation process of companies and public institutions in the North-East Region.
It also contributes to the setting of funding directions in the digital area, the organization of entrepreneurial discovery workshops (EDP) for the IT sector and the definition of a digitization strategy for the region.
Today, the Digital Innovation Zone is a complex structure, an ecosystem with all the necessary components to support the digital transformation process of companies and public institutions in the region.
In September 2022, the 4 million euro financing contract was signed, of which 50% comes from the Digital Europe program, and 50% will be co-financing from the Smart Growth, Digitization and Financial Instruments Program (PCIDIF).
CONSULTING, DIGITALIZATION & DIGITAL INNOVATION
| Service name 1 | Consulting/analysis services to identify the digitalization technical solutions needed by the SME |
| Eligibility | Expenditure on consultancy services in the field of digitization/ICT Eligible expenditure in the North-East PR program Digital transformation of SMEs aimed at increasing digital intensity – session 2023 |
| Detail service | 1. Analysis of the technical and economic situation of the SME. 2. Economic analysis of the business model, by identifying the weights of each activity in the turnover of the reference year 3. Analysis of the feasibility of digitizing one or more authorized activities 4. Description of the operational structure of the SME 5. Analysis of the current situation regarding digitization 6. Collecting, interpreting and validating information on DESI (Digital Economy & Society Index) indicators at the time of analysis 7. Proposal of at least 1 digitization solution, detailing the fields of application and the beneficiary departments 8. Support for carrying out the market study |
| Livery | Digital feasibility study in accordance with the requirements of the North-East PR Guide Digital transformation of SMEs aimed at increasing digital intensity – session 2023 |
| Service name 2 | Technical auditing services, from the perspective of the correspondence of the project result with the Funding Request and the objectives of the North-East Regional Program |
| Eligibility | Expenditure on consultancy services in the field of digitization/ICT Eligible expenditure in the North-East PR program Digital transformation of SMEs aimed at increasing digital intensity – session 2023 |
| Detail service | 1. Analysis of the SME situation regarding digitization at the end of the project implementation 2. Collecting, interpreting and validating information on DESI (Digital Economy & Society Index) indicators. |
| Livery | Technical audit report on the implementation of the solutions from the Digital Feasibility Study and Project, in accordance with the requirements of the North-East PR Guide Digital transformation of SMEs aimed at increasing digital intensity – session 2023 |
Important: we can offer a package of subsidized services in the form of state aid to a limited number of SMEs in the North-East Region who meet our eligibility criteria for accessing innovation and digitization support services:
| Package of subsidized services | Support services for SME digitization through North-East PR Digital transformation of SMEs aimed at increasing digital intensity – session 2023 |
| Eligibility SMEs | SME with registered office in the North-East region, with authorized activity in the fields of Production and Health, activity that is the object of the digitization projectMinimum 5 employees Minimum value of the digitization project: EUR 50,000Not in difficulty or in other situations that prevent obtaining state aid |
| Detail mandatory minimum package of subsidized services | 1. Analysis of the digital maturity level initially, in the middle of the collaboration period and at the end (technical audit) 2. Digital feasibility study including at least 1 digitization solution 3. Digital Resources Report (Vendor Market Study) 4. Digital skills training for employees and managers, specific to the field, for at least 3 participants from the company 5. 1 workshop of your choice (from the fields of access to financing or technology testing) |
| Conditions for obtaining the state aid subsidy | Submitting an expression of interest and documentation for eligibility verification Signing a state aid contract for innovation and digitization support services with Digital Innovation Zone EDIH (European Digital Innovation Hub), represented by Gheorghe Asachi Technical University Iași and the Digital Innovation Zone Association |
For more details, you can contact us at the following coordinates:
comunitate@digital-innovation.zone
proiecte@digital-innovation.zone
First meeting of the Manufacturing Working Group ( 22.06.2023)
EDIH-DIZ supports enterprises in the North-East region, in the production and health sectors, as well as public organizations that offer production services, to improve their business/production processes, products or services that use digital technologies by:
● ensuring access to technical expertise and testing, as well as the possibility to “test before you invest”;
● providing innovation services, such as advice on accessing funding sources, training and skills development, which are essential for successful digital transformation;
● supporting businesses in the use of digital technologies for sustainability and circularity, addressing different sustainability topics.
During the meeting, a number of relevant topics were discussed, such as:
- the process by which EDIH-DIZ supports increasing the level of digitization in the region;
- opportunities for collaboration and technological transfer, with the help of the Technical University Gheorghe Asachi Iași;
- opportunities for financing and innovation in the field of manufacturing;
- demo innovative solutions for production.
At this first meeting, the technology providers as well as the representatives of the production sector had the opportunity to get to know each other and to have free discussions on the topic of improving the production process, through the digitization solutions offered by TUIASI, WEBMAGNAT și EXPERTWARE.
The advantages of participating in the Manufacturing Working Group are:
● The opportunity to meet and collaborate with other representatives of private organizations in the field of production, but also with specialized technology providers in this field, active within the EDIH_DIZ ecosystem;
● The possibility to transform the ideas and needs specific to the activity in the field of production into concrete collaborations and projects, with impact at the regional level;
● The possibility to identify the right sources of financing and development projects.
The first Health Innovation Zone Workshop – An important step towards health innovation ( 6.07.2023)
Digital Innovation Zone in collaboration with EIT Health, Universitatea Tehnică Gheorghe Asachi din Iași end Universitatea de Medicină și Farmacie Gr.T.Popa successfully organized the first Health Innovation Zone workshop of the innovative health solutions pre-validation program.
The participants formulated their ideas using the design thinking methodology, with the support of partners from the Romanian Interaction Lab, led by Ciprian Amaritei. In addition, they were inspired by the perspective and experience of Fortech colleagues who have already validated technology solutions in the healthcare field.
The Floracare team presented a revolutionary application for monitoring vaginal health, providing women with valuable information and simple management of vaginal condition based on pH measurement.
LifeLink develops an innovative software application to quickly and efficiently connect patients with healthcare professionals, facilitating the exchange of medical information and remote consultation.
The MindUp team presented an advanced prosthetic hand using state-of-the-art technologies to improve upper limb mobility and functionality, giving disabled people greater independence in daily activities.
MicroVision develops specialized devices to detect and neutralize bacteria in wounds, helping to prevent infection and speed healing in a clean and safe environment.
Minodora is developing an innovative application for monitoring the vital parameters of premature babies, offering doctors and parents constant monitoring and rapid intervention in critical situations for the survival and healthy development of babies.
MedFile develops medical and nutritional history management software, providing patients and healthcare professionals with an efficient way to track and manage medical and nutritional information, contributing to personalized and effective care.
EzyMem develops an application for managing the time of use of medical equipment in hospitals, simplifying the process of scheduling and using equipment and optimizing resource management and coordination of medical activities.
MEDTECH creates an innovative device for the delivery of drugs to people with memory problems, ensuring the correct and timely administration of drugs and helping to maintain health and avoid potential complications.
AGIL is developing a specialized device-based vital signs monitoring software application, providing healthcare professionals with valuable real-time information about patients’ vital signs, facilitating diagnosis and treatment.
Brain Power presented an innovative technology for processing electric brain wave signals, opening perspectives in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological conditions by understanding and interpreting brain activity.
BioMED VR develops VR systems for medical staff training, providing a realistic experience and deep understanding of practical issues through the virtual environment.
Fractal + Puls creates an integrated telemonitoring and support solution for patients with heart failure, providing continuous monitoring and prompt support, helping to improve patients’ quality of life.
VITALIS is developing a home healthcare device using environmental sensors and voice commands to help patients maintain a healthy lifestyle and adhere to their treatment plan.
UreaVision is developing a non-invasive device for detecting blood urea concentration, offering a quick and non-invasive alternative for monitoring urea levels.
GloveIOT is developing an innovative IoT glove for the early detection of tremors associated with Parkinson’s disease, providing an early approach to the diagnosis and monitoring of the disease.
30,000 euros in innovation vouchers for HealthTech startups
X2.0 launch the 3rd call open for HealthTech and BioTech startups, which will be open from 4 July to 5 September (17:00 CET).
With a total funding of €1.5 million, X2.0 is looking for ten exceptional startups to join his 5 month growth program. This opportunity gives selected startups access to €30,000 in innovation vouchers, as well as the chance to receive mentoring and scaling services from over 100 organizations called Impact Builders. Digital Innovation Zone is one of these Impact Builders.
In addition to the support provided by Impact Builders, the chosen startups will benefit from collaboration with corporațions, who are actively looking for innovative solutions in which to invest.
This Open Call is aimed at startups and scaleups with pioneering solutions in the fields of physical and mental health, including those that can revolutionize healthcare structures for both humans and animals.
To apply to this program click HERE.
TrustChain Open Call #2
TrustChain is a project funded by the European Commission that aims to create a user-transparent, interoperable, privacy-aware and regulatory-compliant ecosystem of decentralized identity management software and next-generation Internet protocol portfolios that it can seamlessly integrate and interoperate with any of the existing decentralized applications.
2nd Open Call – User Privacy and Data Governance – with €1.989 million for applications focusing on trusted online platforms that preserve user data privacy and provide strong data governance frameworks.
Who can apply?
Innovators, researchers, SMEs and entrepreneurs working on various relevant NGI topics and application areas at the intersection of the technical domain (eg Software Engineering, Network Security, Semantic Web, Cryptography, Blockchain, Digital). Twin, Blockchain Security, Digital Identity, Blockchain Protocol), social sciences and humanities (e.g. social innovation, non-profit sector, social entrepreneurship, public goods), as well as any others, including economics, environment, art, design, which can contribute to the relevant vision of NGI TrustChain.
What benefits can applicants get?
- Grants of up to 117,000 EURO (without equity);
- Free access to mentoring and coaching;
- Visibility and promotion.
Potential applicants can find more information HERE. The application process is open until September 20 at 17:00 CEST.
An webinar will take place on Monday 31 July at 11:00 CEST, giving potential applicants more information about the program and the application process.
