European Commission, aiming to increase and sustain the competitiveness of the European Union (EU), has launched the Digital Europe grant program through which more than 130 EDIHs have been established across all EU member states.
Among the selected centers are five from Slovakia: Centrum inovatívneho zdravotníctva, EDIH CASSOVIUM, EXPANDI 4.0, HOPERO, and the Slovak Centre for Digital Innovation. These Slovak EDIHs are composed of consortia of renowned institutions with high-level expertise in various specialized areas.
The mission of Digital Innovation Hubs is to support the digitalization of SMEs and public institutions, guide them through digital innovation processes, and develop competencies required for successful transformation.
“EDIHs are single-contact centers that help build technological competencies, bring know-how to companies, and help maintain their competitiveness,” said Lucia Martišková, Head of the Department for the Implementation of Digital Projects at the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic.
A New Model for Financing Technology Transfer and Innovation
The EDIH format introduces a unique financing model where 50% of the cost of selected services is covered by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (as state aid under the DE MINIMIS scheme) and the remaining 50% is financed by the European Commission. This means that eligible applicants receive services free of charge. Organizations that have exhausted their eligible support or are not eligible will pay for the services themselves.
“With this concept, we are introducing a new financing model for technology transfer and innovation. Besides the tax super-deduction, there is currently no other direct support for R&D and innovation going into companies,” said František Jakab from EDIH CASSOVIUM.
During the forum, EDIHs presented their service portfolios, which include digital maturity assessments, solution testing before investment, employee upskilling, and support in obtaining financial aid for digital projects. The hubs also foster networking opportunities, sharing of best practices, and integration into digital ecosystems.
“EDIHs serve as advisors and guides to a digital future. They’re not competitors to commercial providers, but rather complements,” emphasized Martin Morháč, Industry4UM representative and organizer of the discussion.
Education as a Path to Success
All EDIHs see education and lifelong learning as a fundamental part of their mission.
“Today’s graduates need additional training—not due to poor quality, but because the pace of development is fast. We must build knowledge portfolios within firms,” said Artur Bobovnický from EXPANDI 4.0.
“It is alarming that Slovakia is the only EU country without a national lifelong learning strategy, despite 32% of its workforce being in industry,” added Emil Fitoš from the Slovak Centre for Digital Innovation.
“Our priority is to provide insights into what digitalization can bring,” summarized Ján Frankovský from the Healthcare Information Center.
According to all EDIHs, shifting management mindsets and overcoming resistance to digital change are major challenges.
“We will organize mobilization events, engage proactively, and present real-life use cases to help organizations envision digital solutions,” said Michal Kompan from EDIH HOPERO.
The launch communication will introduce the purpose of EDIHs and promote coordinated outreach across centers.
