In Salzburg, Tyrol and Carinthia, the European Digital Innovation Hub “Crowd in Motion” will soon be launched with a focus on tourism, sports and the public sector. The innovation centre was selected from 16 applications as one of four Austrian hubs. Crowd technology, artificial intelligence and access to fab labs and funding are used to support organisations, SMEs, innovators and start-ups with digital innovations.

Across Europe, the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH), new innovation centres for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), will launch from winter 2022/23. They offer improved access to technical expertise and test labs, advice and training. The aim is to strengthen digital transformation and innovation activity in European regions for specific business sectors.

The new EDIH are characterised by a strong focus on content as well as European networking. Among 16 Austrian applications, the EDIH “Crowd in Motion” has now been selected as one of four innovation labs in an independent evaluation by the European Commission.

Specialisation in tourism, sports and the public sector

All European Digital Innovation Hubs are highly specialised and put together special services for the target group.

The EDIH “Crowd in Motion” focuses on digital technological solutions for specific challenges in the Alpine Space..

– Hub-Leader Markus Lassnig, Salzburg Research

SMEs and public organisations will benefit from a strong focus on implementation and transfer of current know-how.

In the innovation lab “Crowd in Motion”, non-profit research and technology organisations, innovation accelerators, crowd platform providers and digital fabrication labs (Fablabs) pool their expertise to support and drive the digital transformation of organisations in the tourism, sports and leisure industry as well as in the public sector. These sectors are closely intertwined. By providing access to current digital and innovation know-how and a smart view beyond the horizon, sustainable digital innovations are promoted.

Comprehensive service portfolio for SMEs

A complete package of services will be available for SMEs and public institutions to accelerate their digital transformation and innovation activities. More than 60 services are geared to individual needs of the organisations and take into account their level of digital maturity and market position.

By means of a digitalisation check, we pick up the organisations, companies and start-ups dort ab, where they are at the moment.

– Hub-LeaderMarkus Lassnig, Salzburg Research

Depending on the level of maturity, the services are adapted and the organisations are supported over several months. For small companies, this is funded directly from the Innovation Hub.

The four core areas of the EDIH service packages

1. Expand digital skills: training programmes on the circular innovation process, design thinking, basic innovation and data understanding leading to new digital products and services.
2. Testing before investing: Access to experimental and laboratory facilities in the region to test the added value of sustainable tourism and sport solutions early on through demonstration facilities, digital fabrication, prototyping and technology scouting.
3. Open innovation ecosystem and crowd ideation: Low-threshold access to the national research and innovation ecosystem. Based on a bottom-up innovation approach, crowd intelligence is used to identify the needs of citizens and customers and the future market potential.
4. Support in the search for investor:ing: Crowdfunding support, green investment initiatives and innovative public procurement. Banks, Business Angels, Private Equity & Venture Funds, Financial Market Innovations, Crypto Assets Education & Certification cover all types of financing currently available.

More on this topic:

• Press release (22. Juni 2022): Förderung nachhaltiger digitaler Innovationen in Tourismus, Sport und öffentlichem Sektor
• Press release BMDW (17. Juni 2022): Kocher: Innovative und digitale Technologien für KMU essentiell. European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) starten im Herbst – österreichische Gewinner der Ausschreibung stehen fest – BMDW ko-finanziert mit 8,39 Millionen Euro