In order to set directions for the project activities, several analyses were conducted upon the state of the art in manufacturing SMEs, their readiness to implement IoT-related solutions, the array of solution providers as well as associated landscapes at regional, national and European levels.
Training workshop materials, formats and contents were defined for mobilising RDI stakeholders, providing them with the opportunity to get info on expected contents as well as to liaise with peers from both IoT and manufacturing sectors (attendance >940 stakeholders). Furthermore, 2 calls for Expression of Interests, providing the opportunity to projects proponents or stakeholders to share their ideas, to identify potential partners via matchmaking support were organised, collecting about 365 ideas.
These elements were also essential for dissemination developments: through the identification of targets, an estimate of 2500 SMEs received contents on Industry 4.0 developments. These efforts were led by the partners through web and physical communication tools, newsletters, social network activities, web updates, events’ organisation and participation.
As results of these activities, 149 proposals (128 being eligible) were submitted in response to the 2 Open Calls for collaborative projects. After a phase of technical evaluation made by external experts and financial viability checks, in total 40 projects have been selected for funding (2 feasibility studies, 10 prototyping projects, 28 demonstration projects), covering 17 different industrial fields, gathering in total 112 involved entities (SMEs, large companies, research and technological organisations), including 80 SMES financially supported by IoT4Industry. After a phase of implementation (approx. 12 months per project) where IoT4Industry project partners provided support and monitoring, 39 of these 40 projects have been successfully concluded, resulting in a financial support of 3,63 millions € to 77 individual SMEs, from 16 different countries.
COVID-19 crisis has impacted most of funded projects duration. Demonstration projects imply field tests, deployments and therefore access to end user / production facilities, which have been shut down between March and June 2020. The overall estimated delay is 3 months. However it fitted into the IoT4Industry foreseen timing (end Dec. 2020).
By capitalising upon the collaborative projects success, the last phase of IoT4Industry focused on communicating upon success stories of efficient IoT technologies integration into manufacturing industries.
