Digital Europe Programme is the first EU programme that aims to accelerate the recovery and drive the digital transformation of Europe.

Worth €7.6 billion (in current prices), the Programme is a part of the next long-term EU budget, (the Multiannual Financial Framework), and it covers 2021 to 2027. It will provide funding for projects in five crucial areas: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, and ensuring the wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society.

The Programme is fine-tuned to fill the gap between the research of digital technologies and their deployment, and to bring the results of research to the market – for the benefit of Europe’s citizens and businesses, and in particular SMEs. Investments under the Digital Europe programme supports the Union’s twin objectives of a green transition and digital transformation and strengthens the Union’s resilience and strategic autonomy.

Set-up the Initial Network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) from all designated candidate entities resulting from the Expression of Interest. Upgrade these entities to provide the complete set of services of an EDIH, including the necessary infrastructure, in a specific geographical area, covering the needs of the local SMEs, small mid-caps and/or public sector organisations with respect to their digital transformation.

Project budget (maximum grant amount): between €1 000 000 and € 3 000 000 per project. The grant awarded
may be lower than the amount requested.

The grant will be a budget-based mixed actual cost grant (actual costs, with unit cost and flat-rate elements). This means that it will reimburse ONLY certain types of costs (eligible costs) and costs that were actually incurred for your project (NOT the budgeted costs).

After grant signature, you will normally receive a prefinancing to start working on the project (float of normally 50% of the maximum grant amount; exceptionally less or no prefinancing). The prefinancing will be paid 30 days from entry into force/10 days before starting date/financial guarantee (if required) – whichever is the latest.
There will be one or more interim payments (with cost reporting through the use of resources report).

• Research, Technological Development and Innovation

• Central Government
• Large Enterprises
• Non Profit Organisations
• Other Beneficiaries
• Private Bodies
• Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
• Semi-governmental organisations
• Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
• State-owned Enterprises

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:

• be legal entities (public or private bodies)
• be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
  • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)
  • non-EU countries: listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme (associated countries) or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature

EDIHs will maintain structured long-term relationships with the relevant local actors:

• regional authorities
• industrial cluster
• SME associations, SMEs, small mid-caps
• business development agencies
• incubators
• accelerators
• chambers of commerce

Proposals must be submitted by: candidate European Digital innovation Hubs whose coordinators have been designated by Member States following the expression of interest described in the work programme. A candidate EDIH can be composed of a consortium or a single legal entity.

Eleana Gabriel
Directorate of Research and Innovation
Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy
Telephone: +357 22 691918
Email: egabriel@dmrid.gov.cy

(Publish Date: 27/09/2022-for internal use only)

For questions please contact:

https://european-union.europa.eu/contact-eu/write-us_en

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