Background

The Digital Innovation Hub Ost (DIH-Ost) is a collaborative network of research institutions in the provinces of Lower Austria, Vienna, and Burgenland. It helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to successfully make their way through the digital transformation and benefit from digital innovations. The knowledge transfer structures established for this purpose over the past years have familiarised the SMEs with the latest developments in the IT sector and helped them to use these innovations to their own advantage. Numerous information and further training events on topics such as artificial intelligence, IoT, 3D printing, IT security, Blockchain, AR/VR, Building Information Management (BIM), and sustainable digital innovation have been organised. In addition, workshops such as “Digitalisierung – Chancen für Ihr Unternehmen?”, the “Digitalisation Week”, and the event series “Besser Handeln – Stationär & Digital” for the retail sector have been held. Even a number of joint projects such as the “Smarte Abfallwirtschaft” (smart waste management) and the digital frost radar for grapevines have been carried out. All in all, we have been able to reach more than 4,000 people in Lower Austria, Vienna, and Burgenland with these initiatives. In the second phase of the project, we will build on what we have achieved so far and continue our successful work.

Project Content and Objectives

The DIH-Ost has an established and strong network of competence partners and experts with comprehensive experience in the direct collaboration with SMEs, start-ups, regional leading companies (small to medium-sized businesses), and public organisations. Moreover, the DIH-Ost can rely on tried-and-tested tools and formats for virtual and real interaction. The follow-up concept of the DIH-Ost seamlessly ties up with this and focuses on topics including additive manufacturing / 3D printing, Blockchain, IT security, IoT, AR/VR, BIM or Software Engineering, artificial intelligence (AI), and sustainable innovation. Furthermore, the DIH-Ost strives for collaboration with other national and European innovation hubs and plans to carry out joint formats.

The DIH-Ost also considers itself a central networking instrument. The SMEs tend to lack knowledge about the opportunities offered by digitalisation, which is why they often do not seek support from the Digital Innovation Hub on their own initiative. In order to change this, the consortium is in the process of intensifying its cooperation with partners in the regions (regional branches of the Economic Chamber, RIZ Up, SME networks of the hub partners, cluster platforms in Vienna / Lower Austria / Burgenland, etc.). Via these contacts, the hub actively reaches out to the SMEs and tries to find a language that is in line with the individual SMEs’ state of knowledge. In the “Tech2Go” format, for example, experts approach the SMEs and demonstrate on site what is possible with the help of digital technologies. And during the “DIHOST internships” – to highlight another format – students from subject-relevant digitalisation degree programmes work directly at the SMEs for a time.

Long-Term Perspective

Financing from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) makes it possible to continue to position the DIH-Ost as an important player with high market relevance that assists SMEs in overcoming the challenges of the digital transformation. Moreover, the network has a sustainable basis, which means that it will be able to provide its services for SMEs in Vienna, Lower Austria, and Burgenland in future as well.