Launch of a new survey for digital innovation hubs

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has launched an open questionnaire for expression of interest for any actors interested in becoming the EU’s digital innovation hubs. European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) are part of the EU’s new Digital Europe Programme. The hubs serve as service centres for companies and the public sector.

The questionnaire will help to examine the current state of digital innovation in Finland, formulate objectives and prepare applicants for the national and EU selection processes. The questionnaire will be open until Monday 10 August.

Support for the development of national framework

The survey will support those interested in the EDIH status by preparing them for both the national and the EU Commission’s application rounds. The questionnaire’s results will provide information to the Ministry for developing a national framework for the EDIH call and activities based on national objectives and strengths.

The Ministry will organise an application round for Finland’s EDIH candidates in autumn 2020. The candidates nominated by the Member States may subsequently participate in an application process organised by the European Commission. The Commission will make the final decision. The Commission has proposed that 3–5 EDIHs be set up in Finland.

Services to support digital reform in companies

The EDIHs will form an EU-wide network to support businesses and the public sector in the utilisation and deployment of digital solutions, with the aim of making new technologies more widely and rapidly available to them. It is the EU’s objective to build the EDIH network based on existing actors by utilising customer-oriented services and avoiding overlaps.

“Although Finland has performed well in recent surveys measuring digitalisation, there are shortcomings, especially in digital business renewal and value creation. Digital innovation hubs are needed to accelerate economic renewal and to improve companies’ competitiveness after the coronavirus epidemic,” says Development Director Petri Räsänen. Räsänen is responsible for promoting the digitalisation of business activities in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

Inquiries:

Lasse Laitinen, Senior Specialist, +358 50 359 9258, lasse.laitinen(at)tem.fi

Petri Räsänen, Development Director, +358 40 772 3008, petri.rasanen(at)tem.fi