Danube Digital Innovation Hub

Overview

The Digital Innovation Hub "DanubeDIH" is a non-governmental, non-profit, and public utility organizations. The IT&C cluster “Lower Danube” Galați, with legal personality, has the orchestrator / administrator role and ensures the general coordination, monitoring of operations and official communication with the European Commission, the Romanian Government, the Romanian Digitization Authority and other parties (relevant EU and national projects , relevant bodies and other related activities), based on the experience gained in coordinating the IT&C Cluster “Lower Danube” Galați.

DanubeDIH acts coherently with the analysis of local needs and correspondingly with the realization of the 4 functions of the Digital Innovation Center:

• Support for investment identification

• Training and support in acquiring digital skills

• Testing before making investments

• Creating an ecosystem for innovation and networking

Main Objectives:

1. Providing digital transformation services, including testing and experimentation facilities;

2. Transfer of expertise and know-how between European regions, strengthening the links between innovation centers and companies in different regions;

3. Providing thematic services to governments, public sector organizations, SMEs and mid-caps, in particular, services related to artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, high performance computing and cyber security;

4. Providing support for the development of advanced digital skills .;

5. Supporting industries in the ICT sector by organizing various training and development activities in the field of digital innovation, such as: specific courses, seminars and workshops for entrepreneurs and companies in the ICT sector who want to develop, workshops to improve the knowledge level in the following fields: intellectual property, international investments, investment phases, return of capital / investment, “elevator pitch”. These activities include, but are not limited to: investment identification support, training and support in acquiring digital skills, pre-investment testing, creating an ecosystem for innovation and networking.

6. Providing complementary services, with non-profit objectives, aimed at supporting the process of digital transformation at European companies (especially SMEs and mid-cap companies) level

7. Capitalizing on the potential of information technology and communications and its application in the public sector (administration, education, health) and the private sector (enterprises, citizens)

8. Organizing digitization programs and RDI dedicated to strategic economic sectors with high growth potential at city and regional level, respectively in the areas identified as a priority in the Smart Specialization Strategy of the South-East Development Region: Engineering and shipping , Garment industry, Agri-food and fishing industry, Biotechnologies, Eco-technologies, Tourism, ICT, High Tech, Nanotechnologies and Advanced Materials;

9. Increasing the research - development - innovation (RDI) capacity, stimulating cooperation between RDI institutes and companies, as well as increasing the access of companies in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) to RDI;

10. Capitalizing on the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) and their application in the public sector (administration, education, health) and the private sector (enterprises, society in general);

11. Identifying and promoting initiatives that generate innovative products and services, through investment projects, both public and private, as well as proposals for modernization/ improvement of strategies, policies and action plans in the field of ICT;

12. Supporting entrepreneurship and SMEs in the region with information and communication technology (ICT) tools help ;

13. Supporting and encouraging projects aimed at digital innovation, taking into account the context of a new economy (digital economy) and the need to adapt entrepreneurs to it, in line with the European Commission's Green Deal for 2021-2026;

14. Attracting resources (investments, risk funds) for the development of ICT sector;

15. Creating mechanisms for the collaborative approach of large-scale international projects; " Digital technologies.