Main results of the project:
• The collaboration between all actions supported under the SAE initiative was reinforced, especially by initiating and maintaining regular meetings and exchange (“share and learn”) between the coordinating partners, institutions and Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs).
• A model was elaborated that can be used by any DIH or project consortium to benchmark their activities, including a blueprint for a sustainability plan and related decision making tools.
• A Technology Radar identified almost 150 technologies of importance to the SAE community to be considered by enterprises, DIHs and authorities in the further digitisation process. A parallel Technology and Research Needs Radar reaches out to the upcoming “Horizon Europe” and “Digital Europe” funding framework programmes, deriving a set of recommendations for the Commission and the SAE community.
Overview on dissemination and exploitation activities:
• Creation of a common web-based marketplace and info-centre for all SAE-actions (1.500 visits per month), especially to:
- promote their open calls, workshops, events etc.
- disseminate their results (success stories, testimonials, videos etc.)
- inform about their progress and further planning in social media and a quarterly newsletter
- attract newcomers via a “help desk” offering e.g. FAQs, download section and “contact us” / “become part of the community”
• Featured the SAE initiative and all aligned actions in common presentations on more than 20 events, DIH meetings, scientific conferences and trade fairs (e.g. EFECS 2017, EFECS 2018, Hannover Messe 2018, ICT 2018, LOPEC 2018, LOPEC2019, DATE 2019). Organised several own sessions and events (e.g. DIH day Stuttgart 2019).
• Targeted outreach activities addressing national and regional initiatives, funding bodies, investors and especially DIHs in specific events, webinars and mutual meetings. This covered also several EU13 and SME oriented activities.
• Network of almost 10,000 persons, about 300 direct SME supports, about 180 contacts discussing concrete digitisation related topics in enterprises, about 120 contacts with EEN, NCP and representatives of other digitisation initiatives.
• Printed SAE brochure (2018) summarising the aims and achievements of the initiative and covering 20 success stories highlighting problem definition, solution and impact.
Socio-economic impact:
• The ongoing digital transformation marks an enormous upheaval and affects all areas of nowadays life. The SAE initiative was initiated by the European Commission to support SMEs and Mid-caps improving their products and services by using latest digital technologies.
• Smart4Europe was the first Coordination and Support Action to serve the SAE initiative. The socio-economic impact of the project is also indirect through the impact of the supported Innovation Actions, the SAE initiative as a whole and finally the digitisation process in economy and society itself.
Conclusions:
• The SAE initiative and its aligned CSA provide a platform to:
- share experience and best practice,
- identify challenges that need to be addressed at EU level,
- create a critical mass, reduce fragmentation and speak with one voice,
- trigger collaboration and boost co-investments,
- explore common approaches to regulation, skills and jobs.
• The SAE initiative and its aligned CSA support a close collaboration of DIHs to:
- collaborate based on complementary competence and infrastructure
- transfer knowledge between regions
- support SMEs with expertise even if not locally available
- tap SMEs into not jet addressed value chains or markets
- initialise common projects (e.g. shared infrastructure).
Based on experiences gained, an overall conclusion is that the “Cascade Funding” scheme should be continued and if possible broadened. National and regional authorities should find ways to utilise similar mechanisms for their own funding of digitisation related R&D and innovation activities. The scheme attracts interested and purposeful SMEs that would have hesitated to apply in other programs, where they had to deal with complex contract and accounting modes.
