Consolidation of the Network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs with reinforced AI focus)

The grant opportunity titled DIGITAL-2025-EDIH-AC-08 focuses on consolidating the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) network in associated countries, particularly emphasizing artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation. The primary aim is to strengthen the performance and capacity of EDIHs serving entities in Albania, North Macedonia, Türkiye, and Ukraine.

Eligible applicants include entities from these countries that possess a "Seal of Excellence," indicating high-quality EDIH proposals previously lacking funding. The target beneficiaries encompass small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, mid-caps, and public sector organizations looking for AI and digitalization support. The funding type for this initiative is classified as a grant under the Digital Europe Programme, specifically designed as a DIGITAL Simple Grant.

The grant does not necessarily require a consortium; single applicants, such as individual EDIHs, can apply, although collaboration with existing EDIHs and entities in AI innovation is encouraged. The geographical eligibility covers Albania, North Macedonia, Türkiye, and Ukraine.

The project focuses primarily on AI and digital technologies, including sectors such as smart manufacturing, cybersecurity, and agritech. The total budget for the consolidation step is €9 million, with an estimated individual project funding ranging between €1 million and €2 million, depending on the project's scope.

Applications can be submitted through a single-stage open call process, with a submission deadline set for September 2, 2025. Each EDIH is expected to provide core services, including testing technologies, training, investment support, and networking, aimed at facilitating digital transformation.

Co-funding is required, with the EU covering up to 50% of the eligible project costs, while the remaining funding must come from national governments or private sources. Based on historical data, the program is anticipated to be competitive, likely yielding a moderate success rate for applicants.

The initiative aims to create a robust network of EDIHs that can effectively support the digital transformation needs within their respective regions, ultimately enhancing the uptake of European AI solutions and contributing to economic growth and regional development. Each selected project will contribute to a comprehensive approach to digital transformation services, ensuring no duplication of existing efforts and leveraging collaboration among EDIHs and stakeholders across Europe.

The European Commission is offering funding through the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) to consolidate the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) with a reinforced AI focus. This call, DIGITAL-2025-EDIH-AC-08, aims to strengthen the performance and capacity of EDIHs in all regions of the European Union and Associated Countries, including the EU’s outermost regions, to meet local, regional, national, and European digitalisation needs. The call is structured into two topics: DIGITAL-2025-EDIH-AC-08-COMPLETION-STEP and DIGITAL-2025-EDIH-AC-08-CONSOLIDATION-STEP. Both topics are DIGITAL-SIMPLE DIGITAL Simple Grants with a single-stage submission process. The opening date for submissions is April 15, 2025, and the deadline is September 2, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The DIGITAL-2025-EDIH-AC-08-COMPLETION-STEP topic has a budget of 2,000,000 EUR and an indicative number of 2 grants. The DIGITAL-2025-EDIH-AC-08-CONSOLIDATION-STEP topic has a budget of 9,000,000 EUR and an indicative number of 8 grants.

The expected outcome is that each EDIH will support the digital transformation of SMEs, mid-caps, and public sector organizations within its geographical area and area of expertise, while also aiming to extend its impact beyond its immediate region. An EDIH can select to focus on specific groups of clients, such as mainly SMEs or mainly the public sector. Each selected project will provide four core types of services: testing before investing, training and skills development, support to find investments, and networking and access to innovation ecosystems. These services will cover a wide range of digitalisation needs, from mainstream technologies and AI capacities to specialised technologies, provided seamlessly and accessibly. EDIHs will complement and build synergies with existing regional and national initiatives, collaborate with EU AI Innovation infrastructures, and serve as a central point for companies and the public sector, ensuring a flexible and seamless digital journey and referring them to AI innovation infrastructures where appropriate.

EDIHs will contribute to a balanced network, ensuring broad coverage of regions in Europe, addressing the needs of public and private sectors across all economic sectors, fostering cross-regional collaboration and resource sharing, and offering a wide range of digitalisation services.

Performance indicators for the hub include: the number of entities using EDIH services, categorized by user type, sector, and location; specific sub-indicators for AI solutions, including the use of European AI Innovation Infrastructures; the number of entity referrals to European AI Innovation Infrastructures; the amount of additional investments triggered; and the number of collaborations with other EDIHs and stakeholders at the EU level. Additional impact indicators, collected and analyzed with the support of the Digital Transformation Accelerator, include the increase in digital maturity of organizations using EDIH services and the increase in the number of companies benefiting from European AI technology.

Cross-border transnational hubs are possible, with several countries jointly proposing and co-funding hubs serving neighboring regions and tackling common challenges. In such cases, the funding share of each country will be considered for the total funding amount.

The objective of this call is to consolidate the EDIH network, strengthening its capacity to meet digitalisation needs. EDIHs will provide a complete set of services, including necessary infrastructure, focusing on specific geographical areas and covering the digital transformation needs of SMEs, mid-caps, and public sector organizations. A reinforced focus will be on the transformation potential of AI technologies. The consolidation aims to support the deployment and uptake of European AI technologies and promote the adoption of other crucial digital technologies, while upholding Union values. The network will also harness green digital technologies, enhancing the resilience of European industry and boosting its strategic autonomy. EDIHs will collaborate with EU AI Innovation infrastructures, acting as central points for companies and the public sector, ensuring a seamless digital journey and referring them to AI innovation infrastructures. This collaboration does not require integrating representatives of each EU AI infrastructure into the EDIH consortium but involves mapping infrastructures, establishing contacts, and helping customers benefit from other initiatives. EDIHs will act as multipliers, diffusing the use of digital capacities and key digital standards, using AI solutions from European start-ups and SMEs, and collaborating with AI Factories and High-Performance Computing competence centers. Duplication of actions should be avoided through working arrangements, with EDIHs focusing on their role as multipliers. Proposals should describe the planned delivery of AI services and referral mechanisms.

Countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme participated in the 2024 call, leading to the launch of several EDIHs in 2025. This call aims to consolidate a stronger network with EDIHs holding a Seal of Excellence in these countries, tapping into a broader pool of expertise and resources. This expansion will enable hubs to refocus on the uptake of European AI solutions and tools, ensuring more customers benefit from digital transformation and AI, promoting economic growth and regional development.

Each EDIH will provide services based on a specific focus and expertise, supporting the local private and public sector with digital transformation, particularly in the development, training, deployment, and uptake of European AI. This specialisation can be strengthened over time, leveraging existing local competencies.

The EDIH network is dedicated to promoting digital transformation through four types of services: testing before investing, training and skill development, support to identify and facilitate access to financing, and fostering an innovation ecosystem and networking opportunities. EDIHs are expected to provide all four types of services, with varying weights in their portfolio, on an open, transparent, and non-discriminatory basis, targeting SMEs, mid-caps, and public sector organizations.

Each EDIH will act as an access point to the European network, helping stakeholders get support from other EDIHs and supporting companies and public actors from other regions. They will also serve as contact points for AI innovation infrastructures, offering a first-line AI help desk, providing information on compliance with the AI Act, and ensuring the adoption of strategic technologies.

EDIHs will make available experimentation facilities and demonstrators, allowing SMEs, mid-caps, and the public sector to test technologies and their feasibility before investing. They will also provide access to finance services and networking opportunities, supported by the Digital Transformation Accelerator (DTA). Participation in DTA activities is compulsory, and EDIHs will report necessary information to the DTA. Interoperability with the EDIH network tools is required.

EDIHs should closely collaborate with AI factories, High-Performance Computing competence centers, Cybersecurity centers, AI Testing and Experimentation Facilities, and other EDIHs, using AI solutions from European start-ups and SMEs. They will facilitate access to EuroHPC AI-optimised supercomputers and help SMEs fine-tune AI solutions, providing access to AI training.

EDIHs will maintain structured relationships with local actors, offering joint events, trainings, and workshops, and referring SMEs between EEN and EDIHs. Local actors planning mutual support with an EDIH are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding. EDIHs will also serve as an interface for the European Commission, supporting the implementation of sectorial, SME, and eGovernment policies. They will design operations to achieve sustainability and integrate into their ecosystems.

Total public funding may be up to 100% of eligible costs, with 50% from the Digital Europe Programme and up to 50% from Member States. Proposals will describe co-funding sources and how they will achieve economic sustainability. Member States must ensure State aid is granted in line with applicable rules.

Admissibility conditions include proposal page limits and layout, eligible countries, other eligible conditions, financial and operational capacity, and exclusion. Evaluation and award processes, criteria, scoring, thresholds, and indicative timelines are also specified. Legal and financial set-up of the grants are detailed in the call document.

The call document and annexes include the CALL DOCUMENT, application form templates, Model Grant Agreements (MGA), DEP Work Programmes, DEP Regulation 2021/964, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The call aims to consolidate and expand the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs, particularly in countries associated with the Digital Europe Programme. It seeks to foster the digital transformation of SMEs, mid-caps, and public sector organizations by providing access to cutting-edge technologies, training, and networking opportunities, with a strong emphasis on Artificial Intelligence. The initiative aims to create a more competitive and resilient European digital landscape, promoting economic growth, social prosperity, and regional development across Europe. The funding supports up to 100% of eligible costs, with a mix of contributions from the Digital Europe Programme and Member States, encouraging sustainable and collaborative ecosystems.

In essence, this opportunity is about strengthening the European Digital Innovation Hubs to drive digital transformation, especially in AI, across Europe. It provides funding and support for EDIHs to offer services to SMEs, mid-caps, and public sector organizations, helping them adopt new technologies, train their workforce, and access financing. The goal is to create a connected network of hubs that can share resources and expertise, ultimately boosting Europe's digital competitiveness and economic growth.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicants are entities that can form a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH). These hubs are intended to support the digital transformation of SMEs, mid-caps, and public sector organizations. The focus is on entities from the European Union and Associated Countries, including the EU's outermost regions.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a DIGITAL Simple Grant and DIGITAL Action Grant Budget-Based.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to require a consortium, especially for cross-border transnational hubs, where several countries jointly propose and co-fund the hub. The text mentions collaboration with other EDIHs and stakeholders.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes all regions of the European Union and Associated Countries, including the EU’s outermost regions. Countries recently associated to the Digital Europe Programme are specifically mentioned.

Target Sector: The program targets the digital sector, with a reinforced focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. It aims to support the digital transformation of SMEs, mid-caps, and public sector organizations across all economic sectors. Specific technologies mentioned include mainstream technologies, AI capacities, specialized technologies, and green digital technologies.

Mentioned Countries: Albania is explicitly mentioned in the Q&A section. The call is open to the European Union and Associated Countries, including the EU’s outermost regions.

Project Stage: The project stage is consolidation and completion, as the call aims to strengthen the performance and capacity of existing EDIHs and incorporate new EDIHs with a Seal of Excellence. The focus is on deployment and uptake of European AI solutions and tools.

Funding Amount: The funding ranges are specified for two topics: DIGITAL-2025-EDIH-AC-08-COMPLETION-STEP has a budget of €2,000,000, and DIGITAL-2025-EDIH-AC-08-CONSOLIDATION-STEP has a budget of €9,000,000.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by "Open For Submission" and the availability of a standard application form in the Submission System.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money, as the funding is provided through grants.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants for DIGITAL-2025-EDIH-AC-08-COMPLETION-STEP is 2, and for DIGITAL-2025-EDIH-AC-08-CONSOLIDATION-STEP is 8. The success rates cannot be determined exactly from the provided information, as the number of applications is unknown.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is required. The Digital Europe Programme can only finance up to 50% of the eligible costs, with the remaining amount to be covered by other sources, such as Member States or customer payments.

Summary: This opportunity is a call under the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) aimed at consolidating the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs), particularly those with a focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI). The call is open to entities from the European Union and Associated Countries, including the EU’s outermost regions. The goal is to strengthen the performance and capacity of EDIHs to meet local, regional, national, and European digitalization needs, with a special emphasis on supporting SMEs, mid-caps, and public sector organizations in their digital transformation. The EDIHs are expected to provide four core types of services: testing before investing, training and skills development, support to find investments, and networking and access to innovation ecosystems. The funding covers up to 100% of eligible costs, with 50% coming from the Digital Europe Programme and up to 50% from Member States, requiring co-funding from other sources. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of September 2, 2025. The call includes two specific topics: one focused on completion steps with a budget of €2,000,000 and another on consolidation steps with a budget of €9,000,000. The EDIHs are expected to collaborate with EU AI Innovation infrastructures and actively participate in the Digital Transformation Accelerator (DTA). The call emphasizes the importance of using European AI solutions and tools and avoiding duplication of actions with other AI innovation infrastructures.