EDIH Rheinland
European Digital Innovation Hub Rheinland
Benefiting from the increasing availability of algorithms in combination with High Performance Computing (HPC), the potential use cases of digitization and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are also becoming more diverse for SMEs.
However, the starting situation for European SMEs and SMEs in the Rhineland is heterogeneous. Many companies find it difficult to implement digital competencies, for example due to uncertainties regarding data protection and data security or a lack of skilled workers. Identifying use cases and comparing tools available on the market with their own requirements is often subject to day-to-day business. In particular, technical and methodological know-how in the integration of AI applications takes a back seat to process-side knowledge. In addition, setting up computing structures is a major hurdle.
Based on the motivation to meet these challenges, to pave the way to digitalization for medium-sized companies, to enable the use of AI and thus to create efficient and intelligent business processes, partners from different fields of expertise have joined forces in the EDIH Rheinland consortium. The network, which is linked throughout Europe, pursues the goal of bringing digitization and AI solutions and the knowledge required for their application to small and medium-sized enterprises through professional impulses, training programs and cross-industry support projects. Via the HPC ecosystem, companies participating in the project can use computing power-intensive applications without having to invest in their own resources. This not only facilitates entry into AI-driven business processes, but also reduces administration and maintenance costs.
At the same time, EDIH Rheinland serves as a neutral contact point for project sponsors, providers and users. In doing so, EDIH Rheinland's scope is not limited to the immediate Rhineland area, but also supports Westphalian companies and businesses near the border triangle between Germany, the Dutch province of Limburg, and the Belgian Walloon region, including the French- and German-speaking areas of the country.
While the entity's operational focus is in its immediate geographic catchment area, regular exchanges and collaborative solutions extend across Europe. Close collaboration within the EDIH network allows competencies to be complemented and the goal of the Digital Europe program to be pursued holistically.