ICT has transformed how the world does business. It has the power to create new industries and technologies, to grow economies and workforces and to strengthen our position in the global marketplace.
The majority of businesses across Europe have adopted ICT as a way of life.
The DE-LAN (Digital Ecosystems-Learning Application Network) project represents an opportunity for participating regions to harness the power of new and emerging technologies and use them to their maximum potential to remain at the forefront of the world economy.
Digital Business Ecosystems (DBEs/DEs) are evolutionary, self-organising systems which create an online, digital market place that seamlessly connects organisations, companies and individuals in business together. They push towards collaboration, innovation, streamlining, competition and growth in a global and dynamic marketplace.
Digital collaboration through DBEs/DEs can help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to:
- promote their products and services to a wider audience
- collaborate with other SMEs in developing new products and services and in finding or targeting new markets
- undertake effective supply chain management
- streamline working practices
- allow them to become more innovative and to compete in a global and dynamic marketplace.
Living labs are similar, but more theoretical. Often led by academic institutions, they provide an environment for innovation and development where participants are exposed to new ICT solutions and able to share resources in semi-realistic contexts.
Funding
DE-LAN is a regional initiative project funded through the EC’s INTERREG iVC call developed and supported by the interest of nine active EU regions.
The project will enable them to share experiences and good practices, while accounting for the potential impact of emerging trends in ICT and supporting its adoption and development across regions.
Partners
The nine regions participating in the project are:
- The Welsh Assembly Government, Wales UK as lead partner (+)
- European Regional Information Society Association (eris@), Brussels, BELGIUM (+)
- Foundation Insula Barataria (FIB) , castilla la Mancha, SPAIN (+)
- Vysocina region,CZECH REPUBLIC (+)
- CSP-Innovation in ICT, Piemonte, ITALY (+)
- The National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) Lazio, ITALY (+)
- The Technological Research Centre of Koroška, SLOVENIA (+)
- Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), LITHUANIA (+)
- Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology in Extremadura (FUNDECYT), SPAIN (+)
The project will follow more effective policies and guidelines on practical DE deployment across the EU, accelerating their introduction and implementation within regional development programs.
Ultimately DE-LAN will make SMEs, industries, regions and economies become more innovative and able to compete in a global and dynamic marketplace.
The Interregional Cooperation Programme INTERREG IVC, financed by the European Union’s Regional Development Fund, helps Regions of Europe work together to share experience and good practice in the areas of innovation, the knowledge economy, the environment and risk prevention. EUR 302 million is available for project funding but, more than that, a wealth of knowledge and potential solutions are also on hand for regional policy-makers.
OVERVIEW OF REGIONAL PILOTS
Wales – Pilot action testing a Digital Ecosystem with the e-Crime European Partnership. Good practice from Fundecyt is also being tested.
Vysocina – An e-Crime regional group exists in their region made up of policy makers, schools and software companies. Vysocina made a staff exchange visit to Wales in August to learn from their e-Crime project. Following this visit a DE pilot for the e-Crime group to work together is being tested.
Piemonte – Pilot action with a local media cluster including local radio, television and advertising agencies. Territorial maturity grading methodology is being transferred from Lazio. A staff exchange was held in May in Lazio for Piemonte to be trained in the methodology. Initial planning of the platform has already started and is based on a platform owned and designed by CSP.
Extremadura – Good practice is being transferred from Wales and will be tested in their pilot action. A staff exchange was held in Wales in August.
Lazio – Pilot Action with the local agricultural cluster that produces products typical of the region. Good practice is being transferred from Piemonte and they are planning to test either their eCollab or SVEA platform. A feasibility study of the logistics of linking typical producers with the tourism sector is being undertaken.
Lithuania – Pilot action testing a cross-border living lab. Good experience would be transferred from Slovenia. A staff exchange has held with Slovenia.
FIB – Pilot action concerned with transferring experience from Piemonte on collaboration models for companies.
Slovenia – Pilot involves testing an R&D DBE to bring together R&D work by software developers in the region into a virtual space. Experience would be transferred from Wales through their staff exchange in August and also from Lazio, looking at their methodologies.
