Network & Ecosystem

Over 50 relevant actors participate the associated network ( technology solution providers, universities, research centres,  cluster initiatives, chambers of commerce and industry, EEN members, SME associations, education and business development services, banks and financing actors. We maintain active collaborations with public administrations and the NW Regional Development Agency.

LEADING PARTNERS  | UNIVERSITIES & R&D CENTRES | DIGITAL SOLUTION PROVIDERS | BUSINESS SUPPORT | ACCESS TO FINANCE

LEADING PARTNERS

CJIT Cluster – CJIT (DIHCoordinator) – an innovative cluster association founded in 2012 in Cluj-Napoca (Romania) which includes over 90 members, 60+ IT companies, 14 public universities, 2 research institutes of the Romanian Academy, 10 other R&D institutes, public administrations and SME associations. As members of the European Digital SME Alliance, key persons of CJIT are in the leadership positions or members in 3 focus groups (Cyber&Data, AI, Digital Transformation).  CJIT has developed an extensive expertise in project implementation, ecosystem building and networking, as well as direct support to SMEs and national and international partnership creation, through participation in more than 10 projects with the scope digital skills building, collaborative innovation and R&D, technological start-up support, cluster development, blue growth, smart city, supported through Horizon 2020 and ESI funds. Given its extensive experience in digital transformation, in 2021 CJIT has collaborated with the JRC in the piloting of the DMA tool and methodology for the EDIH work programme. The cluster is the core of DIH4Society. It leverages its existing ecosystem, organizing the pooling of resources from technology solution and service providers to innovatively serve the needs of the private and public sector. Innovative testing facilities have been developed in partnership with members through common projects such as CREIC robolab, where CJIT outlined the architecture and operates the lab in partnership with the City of Cluj. Other testing/lab facilities are partnered with Babes-Bolyai University (neuroscience for social robotics) and Accenture. Access to start-up funding and acceleration services in the last year has been mediated for 13 highly innovative start-ups for a total value of almost 1 mil EUR. Networking activities sustain internationalization of members in emerging markets (Latin America, East Africa, Middle East). Detailed information about previous projects and successful results of previous activities are available in the Annexes and are all arguments to qualify CJIT as a coordinator of the project and the partner responsible for the majority of activities, correlated with the value of the KPIs they assumed.

The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca – UTCN –  A member of the European University of Technology consortium, UTCN comprises 12 faculties, in the academic center of Cluj-Napoca as well as in local branches/subsidiaries in neighbouring cities of Baia Mare, Bistrita, Satu Mare, Zalau and Alba Iulia. UTCN is recognized as one of Romania’s leading technical research universities, involved in innovation, technology transfer and close collaboration with the private sector. Research activities cover a wide range, from engineering, information technology and communications to renewable energies and ecology, from superconductivity, spintronics and nanomaterials to management and robotics, from mechatronics and electrical engineering to vehicles and future dwelling. Only in the 12 specialized labs and testing facilities in the key areas served by DIH4S, UTCN already delivers to market testing/ technical competence services for a yearly average of 60 clients from the private sector. Besides the university is actively involved in skills building programs for the private sector through its specialized departments (short/and applied training courses and specializations). We emphasize that cybersecurity and robotics/machine automation labs involved in DIH4S are not involved in other EDIHS.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Bistrita Nasaud – CCIBN – is located in the east part of the region, representing over 250 member companies in  Bistrita-Nasaud county  (80% of major employers).  With over 30 years of experience in business support, access to finance and skills building, CCIBN brings valuable expertise in impactful awareness and dissemination activities, training, supporting SMEs to attract public investment, access to testing facilities for digital transformation.  CCIBN delivers yearly skills building activities to several hundreds of learners in domain such as digitalization, compliance and industry. Business support services include access to finance, trademark consulting, legal advice, business development, networking and representation. For the last 30 years, the chamber has been carrying out over 20 projects financed under schemes such as ESF, Horizon 2020 etc with the scope digital skills development, innovation, sectoral development.   It is currently one of the representatives in the Committee for Smart Specialization Strategy as well as Regional Consortium for education and training. CCIBN will coordinate as well a network of local contact points located in all 6 counties of the region, close and connected to the targeted potential beneficiaries.

University of Oradea  – UO, located in the west part of the region, has 15 faculties with 49 departments and 27 research centers certified institutionally, as well as technical infrastructure which will be made available throughout the project activities. Besides education, UO is has been growing as a market-oriented research university directly involved in large-scale projects, such as the development of Bihor Science and Technology Park, where it provides technical competence services to co-located companies in 5 relevant smart specialization fields: (1) eco-nano-technologies and advanced materials, (2) information and communication technologies, (3) space and security, (4) health, (5) energy, environment and climate change. UO brings a distinctive expertise in the technological transfer activities as well as 3 laboratory and testing facilities in key areas of digital transformation. Their location in the western part of the region secures additional advantages in reducing the distance between potential beneficiaries and labs.