14 March 2017, Thessaloniki, Greece
The EUROPEAN COMMISSION recently published a communication promoting Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) as ecosystems that support bottom-up innovation in a specific industrial sector benefiting of the competitive advantage offered by digital technologies. Ideally such hubs consist of SMEs, large industries, startups, researchers, accelerators, and investors. They aim to create the best conditions for long-term business success for all involved. The EC plans to focus 500M€ investment from Horizon 2020 on digital innovation hubs and mobilize an estimated 5 B€ for regional investment.
Thessaloniki Innovation Zone (TIZ), is an innovation facilitator promoting the Thessaloniki region as an innovation friendly destination. It is a unique project in Greece, intending to the attraction and establishment of innovative enterprises and research bodies in Thessaloniki, thus contributing to the economic development of the region. Thessaloniki, the youngest city in Europe, enjoys a vibrant ecosystem of people and resources, highly receptive to international cooperation. In EC terminology TIZ is an innovation hub and it goes without saying that digital technologies, as KETs, are on top of our list.
The workshop will explain to the local innovation ecosystem the notion of DIHs presenting European best case examples and addressing a range of questions, indicatively: What are the main characteristics of the innovation hubs? How are they created? How the EC can help? What works well and what does not? How do the hubs achieve sustainability?
Stay tuned to Thessaloniki Innovation Friendly Destination website for more information.