IP4FVG – Digital Innovation Hub del Friuli Venezia Giulia

IP4FVG is the Digital Innovation Hub of Friuli Venezia Giulia, established to support regional enterprises and public administrations in addressing the challenges of digital transformation. It provides access to technical expertise and a network of Living Labs for experimentation and “test before investing” of digital enabling technologies.

The Hub is structured into four Nodes, each specialising in specific technological domains, distributed across the regional territory and characterised by a public–private partnership comprising 30 entities. Each node is centred around a physical facility hosting a specialised Living Lab and operates in synergy with the other nodes within a unified platform. These are fully equipped demo environments that serve as meeting points between businesses and the research community.

IP4FVG commenced its activities in 2018 within the manufacturing sector (Industry 4.0) and, through the “Cantiere 4.0” initiative, extended its scope to the construction sector. The IP4FVG Digital Innovation Hub has been recognised as a “Good practice of DIH successfully reaching out to SMEs” by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and in 2020 received the Digital Agenda Award 2020 from the Digital Agenda Observatory of the Polytechnic University of Milan in the category “Effective regional digitalisation initiatives”.

Objectives

The strategic objective of the initiative is to promote the digital transformation of enterprises and to enhance collaboration between the research and industrial sectors.

Results

2019
A first survey campaign was conducted among regional manufacturing companies to assess the level of digitalisation of products and processes (Digital Maturity Assessment) and to identify 11 “best-in-class” companies (FVG Manufacturing Lighthouses) willing to share their experience. These companies were supported in the development of digitalisation projects through the activation of 11 annual training scholarships.

• IP4FVG Manufacturing Lighthouses 2019: 90 companies assessed in the region; 11 companies selected; €130,000 ARGO funding allocated for the development of corporate projects; 100% of scholarship recipients employed upon completion of the programme.

From 2020 onwards
In addition to the now well-established and continuously delivered assessment activities, a survey campaign was launched to map the skills and technological offerings of ICT companies in the region, laying the groundwork for matching the demand and supply of digital technologies.

• ICT companies interviewed for technological offering analysis: 190
• Companies interviewed for Digital Maturity Assessment: 404
• Digitalisation projects supported within companies (not funded by ARGO) for SMEs: 177

In parallel, in collaboration with ANCE FVG, a sector-specific pathway was launched for construction companies, focusing on awareness-raising, training, and experimentation with digital technologies in the construction sector. This included training courses and support services for companies and contracting authorities on BIM (Building Information Modelling), as well as demonstrations of digital technologies for construction sites and real estate asset management.

From 2021 onwards

Alongside the continuation of assessment, matching and training activities, specialised training programmes based on peer-learning models were introduced, involving entrepreneurs and company technical staff (manufacturing and ICT sectors) as speakers and instructors. Outreach activities targeting schools were also strengthened through the delivery of numerous PCTO programmes (Pathways for Transversal Skills and Orientation) and direct collaboration with the regional ITS network.

• Information events and seminars: 60 events; 3,277 participants
• Training courses (funded by ARGO or ESF RAFVG): 61 – 1,155 participants
• International Summer School: 6 editions – 307 participants – 141 training hours delivered
• PCTO programmes delivered: 140 – 2,850 students involved

From 2022 onwards
Activities have focused on consolidating and upgrading the technological and experimental infrastructure of the IP4FVG nodes, particularly through the launch of “Digital Solutions”, a programme designed to attract partnerships with companies in the digital sector. This initiative has enriched the nodes’ capabilities through technologies and application use cases made available free of charge by national technology providers.

In addition to existing sectoral specialisations, new focus areas have been introduced, including energy and technologies supporting the ecological transition.

• Demonstration use cases available within the nodes: 127
• Technology providers contributing use cases: 67
• Companies participating in the “Digital Solutions” call for expressions of interest: 58
• Demonstrations of digital technologies at the nodes (visits and technical demonstrations): 363 companies; 642 participants

Call Test 4 Digitalisation (2021–2022)
Two editions of the “Call Test 4 Digitalisation” were implemented to support company projects involving the experimentation, testing, and validation of digital technologies in operational environments.

2021 Edition

• 32 project proposals submitted – 28 projects approved – 13 projects funded
• Total value of approved projects: €1.1 million
• €340,000 in contributions granted by ARGO IP4FVG
• Technologies tested: artificial intelligence, IoT, machine vision, simulation, virtual reality

2022 Edition

• 35 project proposals submitted – 33 projects approved – 15 projects funded
• Total value of approved projects: €1.2 million
• €400,000 in contributions allocated from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (PSC fund)
• Technologies tested: advanced automation, artificial intelligence, immersive reality, BIM, gaming