DIH4Society, the European digital innovation hub coordinated by Cluj IT Cluster, successfully concludes its first implementation cycle (2023–2026) and opens a new development stage dedicated to accelerating digital transformation in Romania. Over three years of activity, the project supported over 200 organisations from the private and public sectors, and from 1 July 2026 it continues with a new European mandate, a geographic expansion and a consolidated portfolio of services.
Implemented through a hybrid funding model, supported in equal shares by the Digital Europe Programme (European Commission) and the Romanian State, the project had a total value of 19,353,261.80 RON, of which:
- 9,676,630.90 RON – co-financing through the Digital Europe Programme (DEP: 101083952 — DIH4Society — DIGITAL-2021-EDIH-INITIAL-01);
- 9,676,630.90 RON – co-financing through the Smart Growth, Digitalisation and Financial Instruments Programme 2021–2027 (Project DIH4Society SMIS 322960 – POCIDIF/1147/2/1/Action 2.4 EDIH).
The consortium that implemented the project is made up of Cluj IT Cluster, as coordinator, the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, the University of Oradea and the Bistrița-Năsăud Chamber of Commerce and Industry, together with an extended network of over 50 partner organisations from the innovation ecosystem.
Over the three years of activity, DIH4Society built its portfolio of services around three strategic technology directions: cybersecurity, industrial robotics and digital transformation. These areas underpinned the projects developed together with beneficiaries and contributed to increasing the competitiveness of organisations in an increasingly digitalised economy.
Although anchored in the North-West Region, the hub has had national coverage from the start, supporting organisations across the country, from Timișoara to Iași and from Cluj-Napoca to Bucharest.
Rezultatele DIH4Society 1.0
In the first implementation cycle, DIH4Society produced measurable results for the Romanian innovation and digitalisation ecosystem:
- 151 small and medium-sized enterprises benefited from digital maturity audits, consultancy and test-before-invest services;
- 38 public institutions were supported in modernising and digitalising the services offered to citizens;
- 12 hospitals implemented digital solutions to make medical care more efficient and improve patient care;
- beneficiaries attracted funding from public and private sources worth over EUR 10 million;
- DIH4Society delivered over 1,000 services to the contracted organisations.
Beyond the performance indicators, the project's objective was to consolidate a regional and national ecosystem capable of accelerating the adoption of digital technologies in SMEs and the public sector, through integrated services, expertise and collaboration between academia, companies and public institutions.
A model built around the beneficiary
The experience accumulated in the first cycle confirms the effectiveness of a model built around the needs of beneficiaries, based on collaboration, expertise and a focus on concrete results.
“The first and most important thing we keep is the quality standard of the services and the attention paid to the end beneficiary. We understood from the beginning that our mission is not to tick indicators, but to generate real value. We maintain the same rigour in the way we deliver services and the same attention to the quality of results, because only in this way can we produce concrete changes in the activity of the companies and in the hospitals we support.
Another essential element is the excellent collaboration with OIPSI. We have always had a partner who supported us both in ensuring compliance and in overcoming the challenges that arose along the way, and for that we thank them especially.
In the next stage we leverage all the lessons learned in the first cycle. DIH4Society 2.0 is built to simplify processes, make collaboration between the consortium partners more efficient and offer beneficiaries an even smoother experience”, a declarat Edgar Zoltan, managerul proiectului.
DIH4Society 2.0 begins
Starting on 1 July 2026, DIH4Society enters a new European development cycle. The new stage brings an expansion of the consortium, a strengthening of the regional presence and a portfolio of services adapted to the new European priorities in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
The initial consortium is joined by the Universitatea de Medicină și Farmacie din Craiova, strengthening the hub's presence in the North-West Region and extending activity to the South-West Region, while maintaining its national vocation.
DIH4Society 2.0 will accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence and the strengthening of cybersecurity, will continue developing services dedicated to the medical sector, will support the development of digital skills and access to funding, and will strengthen the regional innovation ecosystem through events and collaboration initiatives between companies, public administration, universities and technology providers.
Andrei Kelemen, Executive Director of Cluj IT, the coordinating organisation of the DIH4Society consortium, presented the vision for the next implementation cycle, underlining the strategic directions and the impact the new stage will have on beneficiaries:
“DIH4Society 2.0 does not just mean more services or more focus on the adoption and integration of artificial intelligence. It means, above all, beneficiaries who will have the courage and our support to turn digitalisation into a competitive advantage for their businesses or operations. We aim for every organisation we work with to leave not only with implementable solutions and a clear digital transformation plan, but also with more confidence in their ability to innovate and to make the most of the opportunities offered by digital transformation, AI and cybersecurity. Because real performance does not come from technology itself, but from the way it generates value for people, organisations and, ultimately, for the entire community.”
In 2026–2029, DIH4Society aims to support 118 small and medium-sized enterprises in integrating digital technologies, to support the digitalisation and standardisation of services for 49 public institutions and to contribute to the implementation of innovative e-Health solutions in 25 hospitals.
The DIH4Society 2.0 portfolio will include digital maturity assessment (DMA) services, consultancy in digital transformation, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, services dedicated to the medical sector, digital skills development programmes, support for attracting investment and collaboration initiatives through events such as Cluj Innovation Days, Craiova Innovation Days and the International Digital Transformation Conference (DTX).
A long-term vision
Beyond the results achieved in the first cycle, DIH4Society's objective remains to develop a sustainable European digital innovation hub, able to operate independently and to continue generating value for the business environment and the public sector after the end of the current funding period.
The first calls dedicated to DIH4Society 2.0 beneficiaries will be prepared and launched in the second quarter of the new project.
The completion of DIH4Society 1.0 marks the end of a first stage of construction and the beginning of a new phase of maturation. With the experience gained, a strengthened consortium and a new European mandate, DIH4Society aims to become one of the main catalysts of digital transformation in Romania, generating lasting value for companies, public institutions and communities.
