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Report: A strong network of digital innovation hubs should be established in Finland

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
Publication date 9.5.2019 10.01 | Published in English on 9.5.2019 at 14.47
News item

A report prepared by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland suggests that a network of digital innovation hubs based on nationally set objectives and nationwide coordination should be established in Finland. A nationwide perspective is required to allow the digital innovation hubs to provide effective support to companies, and to help them exploit digital competence for business renewal.

The EU has begun to build a network of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) with the objective of strengthening the digital capabilities of companies in order to make more extensive and profitable use of technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and high-performance computing in the business sector.

Criteria: International networks, added value to the competitiveness of Europe and Finland

According to the report prepared by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the prospective hubs must have the ability to accelerate the digital transformation. Hubs that are interlinked nationwide and Europe-wide provide companies with access to world-class competence.

The report also suggests that the themes addressed in these hubs should be based on sectors where Finland has strong digital application competence, and on digital technology focus areas. Furthermore, regional, national and European investments should be more systematically directed to the hubs to support the development and utilisation of digital competence.

“Hubs making effective use of the opportunities of digitalisation contribute to stronger cooperation between companies and research organisation, which gradually diminished in the 2010s, and thereby support business renewal,” says Ministerial Adviser Pirjo Kutinlahti.

“The report builds a foundation for further work that will facilitate the construction of an optimal network and support the choice of future digital innovation hubs,” explains Senior Specialist Lasse Laitinen.

Inquiries:

Pirjo Kutinlahti, Ministerial Adviser, MInistry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 504 8260
Lasse Laitinen, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 29 504 7162