Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EPPN (European Network for Pilot Production Facilities and Innovation Hubs)

Teaser

Pilot facilities respond rapidly to scaling-up needs which are essential for SMEs and startups. Additionally, they can upgrade European industry to stay competitive and generate business and potentially help create new business, jobs and growth across Europe.EPPN - the...

Summary

Pilot facilities respond rapidly to scaling-up needs which are essential for SMEs and startups. Additionally, they can upgrade European industry to stay competitive and generate business and potentially help create new business, jobs and growth across Europe.

EPPN - the European Network for Pilot Production Facilities and Innovation Hubs – is the world’s first single entry point dedicated to promote accelerate the development of technology enabled products through an interactive business to business digital marketplace linking technology providers with technology up takers, and by facilitating cross-border access to specialized facilities and expertise.
EPPN interactive digital platform connects Pilot Production Facilities and Open Innovation Testbeds (OITBs) with technology users (SMEs, startups and large enterprises) and also brings together different actors along value chains.

Once registered in the platform, users have the opportunity to show case their services, look for solutions in terms of technology and expertise, exchange information, build collaborations and increase business opportunities. Apart from the typical functionalities of a digital marketplace, the platform also allows for matchmaking and social networking facilities without typical search.

EPPN digital platform integrates other databases, namely the KET Technology Centres and the Digital Innovation Hubs catalogue, and thus allowing the access to an extended network of high-quality and reliable infrastructures and expertise in digital technologies and other key enabling technologies.
EPPN has been running for 18 months and during this period, the consortium has:
• Developed the EPPN data model and taxonomies
• Deployed the first version of the digital market place platform at month 6 of the project.
• Developed and released 11 incremental versions the digital marketplace;
• Mapped over 150 pilot plants.
• Delivered 5 webinars to showcase the platform and retrieve feedback on its functionalities.
• Organized two EPPN thematic workshops dedicated to the existing European pilot lines facilities for promoting networking and retrieving feedback on the EPPN digital platform.
• Created an EPPN platform helpdesk.
• Delivered and/or participated in over 15 events to showcase the EPPN platform.
• Delivered a first draft of the EPPN´s platform business model.
• Setup 3 thematic working groups: Technical Collaboration and Dissemination; Finance and Market and; policy and Regions.
• Setup an EPPN Strategic Advisory Board (SAB) - which has already met twice, and whose mission is to strategic guidance to EPPN partners regarding the platform and collaboration matter among transnational innovation hubs.

The EPPN platform already counts with over with over 150 pilot plants registered and over 300 active members.

The second half of the project will be specially focused in increasing the number of registered users, promoting a pilot action for promoting collaborations among in 3 Innovation Hubs (IH) and maturing the EPPN´s platform business model.

Overall, EPPN aims to facilitate transnational access to high-quality, reliable infrastructures, expertise and services for a faster market entry and increased return from investment in research and this way contribute to the competitiveness of European industry.

Work performed

A. Development of the EPPN digital platform aiming at supporting the creation of the interactive and dynamic innovation ecosystem and marketplace
A.1. Firstly a study and analysis document has been developed with the technical requirements, specifications and use cases – the Platform Blueprint. The overall aim was to define the technical and user requirements to develop a true fully digital comprehensive platform base on participatory knowledge sharing and visual information, allowing industries’ knowledge based decisions in terms of pilot services (D2.1);
A.2. In a second step the digital platform has started to be designed and prototyped (D2.2) resulting in its deployment in a Beta version ready to be tested by real users in order to get their feedback and suggestions for improvement (D2.3).
A.3. Improve the functionalities of the platform, as we receive feedback from users.
A.4. Five (5) webinars have been organised in order to present the platform to the key users. About 100 people in total has attended theses virtual sessions. These activities haven’t been planned in the project proposal

Final results

D6.2 Project website
• Once the digital platform was created by Onvega, all the info was unify in the same web page to facilitate its consultation and use to stakeholders.

Initial Video: Not planned but developed and delivered in the workshop delivered during 27th and 28th of November, in Brussels, targeted to the pilot line funded projects.

Five (5) webinars have been organised in order to present the platform to the key users. About 100 people in total have attended theses virtual sessions. These activities haven’t been planned in the project proposal

Each session has included a general presentation of the EPPN (delivered by INL), including an explanation on its overall aim, status and future plans, and a presentation and tutorial session about the EPPN digital platform and the market place tools (delivered by Onvega). A webinar fully dedicated to the NCP network has been delivered. If it proves to be necessary more virtual sessions will be organised.

The platform being developed is truly unique with its functionalities and interactive features. A platform like the one developed does not exist so far within DG CONNECT or DG GROW. Most importantly, if endorsed by the community of the funded pilot action projects, it will be an efficient tool to promote the business development of pilot facilities, for promoting the sharing of good practices, lessons learnt and for promoting of new projects.

During the project’s life cycle, and after the presentation of the first visual view of the project (alpha version), the end-users, partners and stakeholders started to bring their comments, useful suggestions and their practical advises. We left path of feedbacks open to improve the results and make the functionalities much better.

The size of customization of the project has been increased over planning.
The weight of WP2 increased during the project and WP2 became the main focus.
The project is changed from a mapping tool to a real platform.

Website & more info

More info: https://www.eppnetwork.com/.