Core to the XS2I4MS project was the Mentoring program. In this program, 29 consortia were selected through an open call process to be supported in developing a feasibility study for the establishment of a DIH in their region. The work of the XS2I4MS project included the organization of a Call for tender, the selection of the projects to be supported and the general training with regard to non-technical competences (brokerage, financing, business models and plans, ecosystem assessment, use cases).
To facilitate the Mentoring program and create a more sustainable information base for new initiatives, an expert website was developed that provides information for both the selected projects and interested third parties. More general information was collected on suppliers and users of digitization technologies and the issues that SMEs are struggling with, as well as an assessment of how to organize brokerage in a DIH. A database with funding instruments has been developed.
Based on a rich source of information – the 29 feasibility studies to establish DIHs – a detailed cross case analysis has been undertaken. Based on these studies conclusions and recommendations for the Commission and future DIH initiatives have been developed.
A summer school was organized at MTC in 2016 to allow the demonstration of actual technological infrastructures. A final mentoring event was organized in Madrid in 2017 to share experience and conclusions from the mentoring program and the feasibility studies.
Complementary to the Mentoring program activities, a list of Demonstrators available for digitization is developed, as well as factsheets on digitization technologies. Also dissemination activities have been conducted, including the co-organization of the I4MS annual event in Amsterdam in 2016, the participation in the second I4MS annual event in Madrid in 2017, as well as publishing webinars online.
The work carried out by the consortium in a 30 months period was structured in the following Work-Packages:
WP1 Innovation Portal providing the core technological and information infrastructure to create the I4MS ecosystem by providing a wide range of services to the I4MS community.
WP2 I4MS Observatory providing a strong information base on relevant platforms, suppliers and users of technology
WP3 Sharing Best Practices and Dissemination aimed at integrating the activities on best practices related to the application of new technologies in manufacturing SMEs and to disseminate these to the I4MS community.
WP4 Brokerage aimed at assessing the needs of SMEs which can be used for suitable matchmaking at technological level and to find financing opportunities, assisting the DIHs to create effective technology transfer mechanisms, and providing information on funding opportunities to the I4MS community
WP5 Mentoring and Coaching for Regional Innovation Hubs aimed at extending and enhancing the I4MS Ecosystem to include new regions in the I4MS program.
WP6 Management and Coordination which is aimed at ensuring the smooth running of the project.
The work of the XS2I4MS project resulted in 20 deliverables.
