Aragón EDIH

Aragón EDIH has been selected as a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH), becoming part of the European network of EDIHs. The EDIHs are based on technological competence centers of reference, and have the mission to promote digitization with cutting-edge technologies in the European innovation ecosystem. All this, with the aim of improving the competitiveness of the productive system, helping the development of differential technologies and leading digitization in the European digital single market.

In 2022, the European call of the “Digital Europe” Program, coordinated by DGCONNET, selected 136 EDIHs across Europe, of which 12 were Spanish, chosen from the 26 candidates pre-selected by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, and one of them was the Aragón EDIH.

Objectives of the EDIH:

• • To provide access to know-how and proof of concept, of cutting-edge technologies, with the possibility to “try before you invest”.
  • Provide innovation services, such as financial advice, training and development of digital capabilities critical for success in digital transformation
  • Helping companies address environmental issues, in particular by promoting the use of digital technologies to support sustainability, efficiency and circularity.

EDIHs combine the benefits of a regional presence with the opportunities available by belonging to a pan-European network. This regional presence enables them to provide the services that local businesses need, through the local innovation ecosystem. The European coverage of the network facilitates the exchange of best practices between ecosystems in different countries, as well as the provision of specialized services across regions when the required competencies are not available locally.

The Aragon EDIH (AEDIH) was born from an Aragonese initiative launched in 2017 by the Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón (ITAINNOVA), together with the Instituto Aragonés de Fomento (IAF) and Universidad de Zaragoza (UNIZAR) and whose objective was to boost digitization in Aragonese companies and organizations. Facilitate access to cutting-edge technologies and create collaborative networks, as well as new value chains for new digital markets.

Currently and with the new entity of AEDIH, the hub is joined as partners by business organizations of Aragon (CEOE Aragón and CEPYME Aragón), regional ICT cluster (TECNARA) and the Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Services of Aragon (Cámaras Aragón), which contribute as connecting arms with the productive fabric and the companies that compose it.