The Commission has recently announced the first call for proposals opened for the set-up and deployment of the European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) network. These hubs will support private companies, including SMEs and start-ups, and also the public sector in their digital transformation.

The calls are open to businesses, organisations, and public administrations from the EU Member States, as well as entities from other countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme. It follows the adoption of the work programmes allocating nearly €2 billion for investments aimed to advance on the digital transition.

Grants will be targeted towards an investment of over €415 million until the end of 2022 in topics related to cloud to edge infrastructure, data spaces, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum communication infrastructure, advancing people's digital skills, and projects that promote a safer internet, fight child sexual abuse, and disinformation.

About the Digital Europe Programme, it is the first EU programme that aims to accelerate the recovery and drive the digital transformation of Europe. Worth €7.6 billion, the Programme is a part of the next long-term EU budget, (the Multiannual Financial Framework), and it covers 2021 to 2027. It will provide funding for projects in five crucial areas: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, and ensuring the wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society.

The Programme is fine-tuned to fill the gap between the research of digital technologies and their deployment, and to bring the results of research to the market - for the benefit of Europe's citizens and businesses, and in particular SMEs. Investments under the Digital Europe programme supports the Union’s twin objectives of a green transition and digital transformation and strengthens the Union’s resilience and strategic autonomy.

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Additional information

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/programmes/digital

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