European UnionDeadline PassedNon-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Completion of the initial Network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs)
Digital Europe Programme European Digital Innovation Hubs Completion Step
Funding Amount
Amount not specified
Deadline
02/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Trusted by
What is the Completion of the initial Network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) Call?
Grant Description
This call aims to complete the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs by funding new hubs in countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme not yet covered. Each hub will provide infrastructure and services to support the digital transformation of small and medium sized enterprises mid caps and public sector organisations with a reinforced focus on artificial intelligence. They will deliver four service types including experimentation and testing before investment training and upskill...
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
Funded EDIHs will:
• Complete the European network by establishing hubs in under-represented associated countries, strengthening regional support for digital and AI transformation.
• Drive uptake of European AI technologies and other digital solutions among SMEs, mid-caps and public sector entities, measured by increased user counts, referrals to AI infrastructures (AI-on-Demand, AI Factories, HPC), and amount of finance triggered.
• Enhance digital maturity of client organisations across dimensions of strategy, intelligence, data, automation, sustainability and human-centricity, as tracked through pre- and post-engagement assessments.
• Foster cross-border and inter-hub collaborations, shared infrastructure use and joint investments, unlocking growth potential in border regions.
• Promote green digital technologies to contribute to EU climate and environmental objectives, increasing resilience and strategic autonomy of European industry.
• Serve as multipliers of Digital Europe Programme capacities and standards, bridging research and real-world application, and facilitating broad, ethical, human-centric AI deployment.
• Establish sustainable local ecosystems through capacity building, community ownership, formal partnerships and integration with regional policy-making, ensuring continuity beyond the grant period.
• Complete the European network by establishing hubs in under-represented associated countries, strengthening regional support for digital and AI transformation.
• Drive uptake of European AI technologies and other digital solutions among SMEs, mid-caps and public sector entities, measured by increased user counts, referrals to AI infrastructures (AI-on-Demand, AI Factories, HPC), and amount of finance triggered.
• Enhance digital maturity of client organisations across dimensions of strategy, intelligence, data, automation, sustainability and human-centricity, as tracked through pre- and post-engagement assessments.
• Foster cross-border and inter-hub collaborations, shared infrastructure use and joint investments, unlocking growth potential in border regions.
• Promote green digital technologies to contribute to EU climate and environmental objectives, increasing resilience and strategic autonomy of European industry.
• Serve as multipliers of Digital Europe Programme capacities and standards, bridging research and real-world application, and facilitating broad, ethical, human-centric AI deployment.
• Establish sustainable local ecosystems through capacity building, community ownership, formal partnerships and integration with regional policy-making, ensuring continuity beyond the grant period.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
To be eligible, each proposal must demonstrate that the new EDIH will:
• Serve a clearly defined geographical region and client group(s) (SMEs, mid-caps and/or non-economic public sector bodies) with a reinforced focus on AI and green digital technologies.
• Provide all four service categories (test-before-invest, training, access to finance, ecosystem building), though with flexibility in service weighting.
• Leverage existing local competencies and infrastructures, and map out relevant EU AI Innovation Infrastructures without necessarily integrating their representatives into the consortium.
• Define a specialisation or expertise area (e.g. AI, HPC-optimised applications, cybersecurity, sectoral digitalisation) and outline how this focus will be strengthened over time.
• Establish clear referral mechanisms to other EDIHs and EU Innovation Infrastructures to ensure end-to-end client support across Europe.
• Propose measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and targets, including user counts by category, sector and service; AI-specific uptake and referrals; finance mobilized; inter-hub collaborations; and digital maturity improvements via a standardized questionnaire.
• Commit to interoperability with DTA tools (e.g. Digital Maturity Assessment Tool), timely reporting of KPI data to the DTA repository, and active participation in DTA-led activities.
• Outline collaboration and governance arrangements with local actors (regional authorities, clusters, EEN partners) via Memoranda of Understanding.
• Demonstrate how actions will avoid duplication with other hubs or infrastructures and describe agreed working arrangements.
• Provide a sustainability plan ensuring local capacity building, community ownership and integration into regional ecosystems beyond EU funding.
• Serve a clearly defined geographical region and client group(s) (SMEs, mid-caps and/or non-economic public sector bodies) with a reinforced focus on AI and green digital technologies.
• Provide all four service categories (test-before-invest, training, access to finance, ecosystem building), though with flexibility in service weighting.
• Leverage existing local competencies and infrastructures, and map out relevant EU AI Innovation Infrastructures without necessarily integrating their representatives into the consortium.
• Define a specialisation or expertise area (e.g. AI, HPC-optimised applications, cybersecurity, sectoral digitalisation) and outline how this focus will be strengthened over time.
• Establish clear referral mechanisms to other EDIHs and EU Innovation Infrastructures to ensure end-to-end client support across Europe.
• Propose measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and targets, including user counts by category, sector and service; AI-specific uptake and referrals; finance mobilized; inter-hub collaborations; and digital maturity improvements via a standardized questionnaire.
• Commit to interoperability with DTA tools (e.g. Digital Maturity Assessment Tool), timely reporting of KPI data to the DTA repository, and active participation in DTA-led activities.
• Outline collaboration and governance arrangements with local actors (regional authorities, clusters, EEN partners) via Memoranda of Understanding.
• Demonstrate how actions will avoid duplication with other hubs or infrastructures and describe agreed working arrangements.
• Provide a sustainability plan ensuring local capacity building, community ownership and integration into regional ecosystems beyond EU funding.
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
• Admissibility: adhere to page limits, layout and submission format as specified in Section 5 and Part B of the Application Form.
• Eligibility: only entities from countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme not yet funded under previous EDIH calls; compliance with Sections 6–7 of the call document (eligible countries, operational and financial capacity, exclusion grounds).
• Funding model: grants cover 100% of eligible costs (up to 50% from the Digital Europe Programme, up to 50% from Member States); all State aid must comply with relevant rules (de minimis, GBER, notification thresholds per Article 4 GBER).
• Evaluation and award: submission, evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring, thresholds and indicative timeline per Sections 8–9 and Section 4 of the call document and the Online Manual.
• Legal and financial set-up: governed by the DIGITAL Action Grant Budget-Based MGA (DIGITAL-AG) and DIGITAL Simple Grants MGA (DIGITAL-SIMPLE), with reference to the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 and Appendix 6 on State Aid.
• Reporting and interoperability: mandatory reporting of standardized KPIs to the DTA, use of or interoperability with DTA digital tools, and participation in DTA activities; permitted to use own tools if interoperable.
• Deadline: single-stage submission by 02 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time.
• Cross-border option: proposals may span neighbouring regions in multiple countries with co-funding and shared challenges; each country’s funding share counts toward its national budget allocation.
• No obligation to include representatives of EU AI Innovation Infrastructures in the consortium; only mapping and referral is required.
• Eligibility: only entities from countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme not yet funded under previous EDIH calls; compliance with Sections 6–7 of the call document (eligible countries, operational and financial capacity, exclusion grounds).
• Funding model: grants cover 100% of eligible costs (up to 50% from the Digital Europe Programme, up to 50% from Member States); all State aid must comply with relevant rules (de minimis, GBER, notification thresholds per Article 4 GBER).
• Evaluation and award: submission, evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring, thresholds and indicative timeline per Sections 8–9 and Section 4 of the call document and the Online Manual.
• Legal and financial set-up: governed by the DIGITAL Action Grant Budget-Based MGA (DIGITAL-AG) and DIGITAL Simple Grants MGA (DIGITAL-SIMPLE), with reference to the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 and Appendix 6 on State Aid.
• Reporting and interoperability: mandatory reporting of standardized KPIs to the DTA, use of or interoperability with DTA digital tools, and participation in DTA activities; permitted to use own tools if interoperable.
• Deadline: single-stage submission by 02 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time.
• Cross-border option: proposals may span neighbouring regions in multiple countries with co-funding and shared challenges; each country’s funding share counts toward its national budget allocation.
• No obligation to include representatives of EU AI Innovation Infrastructures in the consortium; only mapping and referral is required.
Important dates
Open from: 15/04/2025
Deadline:02/09/2025
Application period has ended
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