Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EPPN (European Network for Pilot Production Facilities and Innovation Hubs)
Berichtszeitraum: 2018-12-01 bis 2020-05-31
EPPN - the European Network for Pilot Production Facilities and Innovation Hubs – is the world’s first single entry point dedicated to promote accelerate the development of technology enabled products through an interactive business to business digital marketplace linking technology providers with technology up takers, and by facilitating cross-border access to specialized facilities and expertise.
EPPN interactive digital platform connects Pilot Production Facilities and Open Innovation Testbeds (OITBs) with technology users (SMEs, startups and large enterprises) and also brings together different actors along value chains.
Once registered in the platform, users have the opportunity to show case their services, look for solutions in terms of technology and expertise, exchange information, build collaborations and increase business opportunities. Apart from the typical functionalities of a digital marketplace, the platform also allows for matchmaking and social networking facilities without typical search.
EPPN digital platform integrates other databases, namely the KET Technology Centres and the Digital Innovation Hubs catalogue, and thus allowing the access to an extended network of high-quality and reliable infrastructures and expertise in digital technologies and other key enabling technologies.
EPPN digital platform integrates other databases, namely the KET Technology Centres and the Digital Innovation Hubs catalogue, and thus allowing the access to an extended network of high-quality and reliable infrastructures and expertise in digital technologies and other key enabling technologies.
The EPPN platform currently counts with 177 pilot plants registered and almost 500 active members registered through EPPN entry point. If one consider the interoperability with other databases and platforms, then EPPN network extends to a total of 3713 entities.
EPPN interactive digital platform connects Pilot Production Facilities and Open Innovation Testbeds (OITBs) with technology users (SMEs, startups and large enterprises) and also brings together different actors along value chains.
Once registered in the platform, users have the opportunity to show case their services, look for solutions in terms of technology and expertise, exchange information, build collaborations and increase business opportunities. Apart from the typical functionalities of a digital marketplace, the platform also allows for matchmaking and social networking facilities without typical search.
EPPN digital platform integrates other databases, namely the KET Technology Centres and the Digital Innovation Hubs catalogue, and thus allowing the access to an extended network of high-quality and reliable infrastructures and expertise in digital technologies and other key enabling technologies.
EPPN digital platform integrates other databases, namely the KET Technology Centres and the Digital Innovation Hubs catalogue, and thus allowing the access to an extended network of high-quality and reliable infrastructures and expertise in digital technologies and other key enabling technologies.
The EPPN platform currently counts with 177 pilot plants registered and almost 500 active members registered through EPPN entry point. If one consider the interoperability with other databases and platforms, then EPPN network extends to a total of 3713 entities.
EPPN has been running for 36 months and during this period, the consortium has:
• Developed the EPPN data model and taxonomies;
• Deployed the first version of the digital marketplace platform at month 6 of the project;
• Developed and released 11 incremental versions the digital platform;
• Mapped over 177 pilot plants;
• Delivered 6 webinars to showcase the platform and retrieve feedback on its functionalities
and to foster the interactions with the Working groups
• Organized three EPPN thematic workshops dedicated to the existing European pilot lines
facilities for promoting networking and retrieving feedback on the EPPN digital platform. A 4th
one planned was cancelled due to COVID19.
• Created an EPPN platform helpdesk delivered over e-mail providing support regarding
specific problems with the use of EPPN digital platform;
• Delivered and/or participated in more than 15 events to showcase the EPPN platform.
• Delivered the EPPN ́s platform business model;
• Setup 3 thematic working groups: Technical Collaboration and Dissemination; Finance and
Market and; policy and Regions;
• Setup an EPPN Strategic Advisory Board (SAB) - which has met three times, and whose
mission was to give strategic guidance to EPPN partners regarding the platform and
collaboration matter among transnational innovation hubs;
• Established connections with Regional Innovation Hubs – North Rhine Westphalia
(Germany), Basque Country (Spain) and Upper Silesian (Poland) fostering the exchange between pilot facilities and open innovation test beds and establish further relations with industry;
• Best practice examples of pilot production identified, and authorised interviews conducted with key representatives;
Grant Agreement No. 768681
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• Three pilot production market workshops organised bringing together pilot production owners and end users, with the two last ones using ZOOM digital platform due to the COVID- 19 pandemic;
• Input regarding best practices on business model and sustainability of Open Innovation Test Beds (OITBs) collected through survey and interviews;
• Developed and implemented a marketing campaign aimed to attract intermediary organisations, increasing the platform overall traffic, activate registered users and attract new users;
• Developed 3 tutorial videos aiming at fostering the use of the digital platform.
• Developed the EPPN data model and taxonomies;
• Deployed the first version of the digital marketplace platform at month 6 of the project;
• Developed and released 11 incremental versions the digital platform;
• Mapped over 177 pilot plants;
• Delivered 6 webinars to showcase the platform and retrieve feedback on its functionalities
and to foster the interactions with the Working groups
• Organized three EPPN thematic workshops dedicated to the existing European pilot lines
facilities for promoting networking and retrieving feedback on the EPPN digital platform. A 4th
one planned was cancelled due to COVID19.
• Created an EPPN platform helpdesk delivered over e-mail providing support regarding
specific problems with the use of EPPN digital platform;
• Delivered and/or participated in more than 15 events to showcase the EPPN platform.
• Delivered the EPPN ́s platform business model;
• Setup 3 thematic working groups: Technical Collaboration and Dissemination; Finance and
Market and; policy and Regions;
• Setup an EPPN Strategic Advisory Board (SAB) - which has met three times, and whose
mission was to give strategic guidance to EPPN partners regarding the platform and
collaboration matter among transnational innovation hubs;
• Established connections with Regional Innovation Hubs – North Rhine Westphalia
(Germany), Basque Country (Spain) and Upper Silesian (Poland) fostering the exchange between pilot facilities and open innovation test beds and establish further relations with industry;
• Best practice examples of pilot production identified, and authorised interviews conducted with key representatives;
Grant Agreement No. 768681
Page 2 of 99
• Three pilot production market workshops organised bringing together pilot production owners and end users, with the two last ones using ZOOM digital platform due to the COVID- 19 pandemic;
• Input regarding best practices on business model and sustainability of Open Innovation Test Beds (OITBs) collected through survey and interviews;
• Developed and implemented a marketing campaign aimed to attract intermediary organisations, increasing the platform overall traffic, activate registered users and attract new users;
• Developed 3 tutorial videos aiming at fostering the use of the digital platform.
The platform being developed is truly unique with its functionalities and interactive features. A platform like the one developed does not exist so far within DG CONNECT or DG GROW. Most importantly, if endorsed by the community of the funded pilot action projects, it will be an efficient tool to promote the business development of pilot facilities, for promoting the sharing of good practices, lessons learnt and for promoting of new projects.
During the project’s life cycle, and after the presentation of the first visual view of the project (alpha version), the end-users, partners and stakeholders started to bring their comments, useful suggestions and their practical advises. We left path of feedbacks open to improve the results and make the functionalities much better.
The size of customization of the project has been increased over planning.
The weight of WP2 increased during the project and WP2 became the main focus.
The project is changed from a mapping tool to a real platform.
During the second half of the project EPPN continued to be updated with new versions of the users’ interface. The platform has been tested by pilot line’s users (SMEs, Startups, Large Enterprises) and other stakeholders around the 3 selected innovation hubs: North Rhine-Westphalia, Basque Country, Upper Silesian). Users’ feedback kept on being incorporated in the subsequent platform developments and releases.
During the second half of the project a new functionality allowing certified users to post information on funding opportunities for both, pilot production facilities and SMEs, has been developed and implemented. This new functionality is directly linked with task 3.5. The platform continued also to be secured as well by check system security and security threats and has been fully deployed at the stable v1.1 stage, complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR-2016/679).
One of the main aims of this validation stage of the Beta version carried out during the second phase of the projects was to achieve a stable data-model, with refined categories and advanced search outcomes.
Impact) At Pilots’ Level: Mapping and establishment of national and regional contacts with institutions of interest to work with the network of pilot projects/facilities; At the end-user level: Build up a digital platform with search facilities that will allow pilot line owners to be matched with (SME) and industry users. Developed a digital platform allowing for a facilitated use and access to pilot lines by start-ups, SMEs and large corporations and this way facilitate the scale up of innovative and competitive products.
During the project’s life cycle, and after the presentation of the first visual view of the project (alpha version), the end-users, partners and stakeholders started to bring their comments, useful suggestions and their practical advises. We left path of feedbacks open to improve the results and make the functionalities much better.
The size of customization of the project has been increased over planning.
The weight of WP2 increased during the project and WP2 became the main focus.
The project is changed from a mapping tool to a real platform.
During the second half of the project EPPN continued to be updated with new versions of the users’ interface. The platform has been tested by pilot line’s users (SMEs, Startups, Large Enterprises) and other stakeholders around the 3 selected innovation hubs: North Rhine-Westphalia, Basque Country, Upper Silesian). Users’ feedback kept on being incorporated in the subsequent platform developments and releases.
During the second half of the project a new functionality allowing certified users to post information on funding opportunities for both, pilot production facilities and SMEs, has been developed and implemented. This new functionality is directly linked with task 3.5. The platform continued also to be secured as well by check system security and security threats and has been fully deployed at the stable v1.1 stage, complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR-2016/679).
One of the main aims of this validation stage of the Beta version carried out during the second phase of the projects was to achieve a stable data-model, with refined categories and advanced search outcomes.
Impact) At Pilots’ Level: Mapping and establishment of national and regional contacts with institutions of interest to work with the network of pilot projects/facilities; At the end-user level: Build up a digital platform with search facilities that will allow pilot line owners to be matched with (SME) and industry users. Developed a digital platform allowing for a facilitated use and access to pilot lines by start-ups, SMEs and large corporations and this way facilitate the scale up of innovative and competitive products.