FIT EDIH 2.0

FIT EDIH 2.0 – Accelerating AI-Driven Digital Transformation in Romania’s Centru Region is a project co-funded by the European Union through the Digital Europe Programme (Grant Agreement No. 101256917), implemented over a period of 36 months (May 2026 – April 2029). The initiative brings together a consortium of 15 organizations from Romania and Spain. At the regional level, the project aims to become a primary catalyst for technological innovation by facilitating the digital transformation of more than 140 direct beneficiaries—small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and public sector organizations from the Centru Region and the Bucharest-Ilfov area.

From FIT EDIH to FIT EDIH 2.0

This new phase represents the natural continuation of the success achieved in the initial EDIH project, namely FIT EDIH. The project responds to a well-documented need: a cross-sectional study conducted by the FIT consortium, based on questionnaires and interviews with over 600 organizations across the six counties of Romania’s Centru Region, confirmed that although digitalization is widely recognized as a necessity, its effective implementation remains fragmented—particularly among small enterprises and local public administrations. FIT EDIH 2.0 has been designed to bridge this gap.

The new iteration significantly expands both the scope and depth of the previous services, with an enhanced focus on the implementation of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), High Performance Computing (HPC), and cybersecurity.

Project Objectives

FIT EDIH 2.0 pursues four interconnected objectives, aligned with the priorities of the Digital Europe Programme and the call for strengthening the European network of EDIHs with a focus on AI:

• Accelerating the adoption of AI, HPC, and cybersecurity among SMEs and public organizations through accessible, secure, and context-specific testing environments, sandbox pilots, and technical assessments.
• Enhancing preparedness for generative AI and emerging technologies by integrating them into training, consultancy, and demonstration services for both private and public stakeholders.
• Facilitating practical experimentation with European and local AI innovations, including open-source large language models (LLMs) such as Mistral, BLOOM, and OpenLLM-Ro (developed in Romania), as well as voice technologies.
• Increasing awareness, access, and effective use of European AI infrastructures, such as the AI-on-Demand platform and AI Factories, by project beneficiaries and regional stakeholders. 

Target Group

By April 2029, FIT EDIH 2.0 will support over 140 direct beneficiaries, including approximately 80 SMEs and 60 public sector organizations. The geographical coverage includes the six counties of the Centru Region—Alba, Brașov, Covasna, Harghita, Mureș, and Sibiu—along with a strategic extension to the Bucharest-Ilfov area, dedicated exclusively to high-level public organizations (ministries, national agencies, regulatory bodies).

Target sectors include manufacturing, smart cities and smart villages, digital health (eHealth), creative industries, energy and clean technologies, as well as digital public services.

Services Provided to the Target Group

The activities of FIT EDIH 2.0 are structured around the four core services of a European Digital Innovation Hub:

• Test Before Invest – validation and experimentation of AI solutions in real-world conditions, technical consultancy, and pilot demonstrations using European sovereign technologies.
• Skills & Training – modular curricula, including green AI, reskilling programs oriented toward specific occupations, and the training of over 20 regional “AI Champions.”
• Access to Finance – support for mobilizing more than EUR 4.7 million in public and private investments for project beneficiaries.
• Innovation Ecosystem Building – community activation, technology matchmaking, open innovation hackathons, and the establishment of over 20 cross-border collaborations.

These are complemented by innovative elements introduced specifically in this phase: the AI for Good Challenge, AI Champions Awards, monthly AI Café sessions and Digital Breakfasts, an Open Innovation Bootcamp, as well as a dedicated AI Help Desk, serving as the first point of contact for beneficiaries seeking to responsibly adopt AI solutions.

Role of INCON Research Center

Within the “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu (ULBS), the implementation of this large-scale project is supported by the Connected Intelligence Research Center (INCON) within the Faculty of Engineering. With extensive academic and practical expertise in the development of socio-physical-cyber systems, the INCON team will provide technical expertise, practical testing environments for local innovations, and methodological guidance for SMEs and public administrations in adopting AI.

Strategic Impact for ULBS

Participation in the FIT EDIH 2.0 consortium brings multiple benefits to the “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, strengthening its position as a center of excellence in research and digital innovation at both national and European levels:

Integration into a leading European ecosystem: ULBS becomes an active node within the European network of Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs), gaining opportunities to collaborate with universities, research institutes (such as Universidad de Navarra in Spain and ICI Bucharest), and major strategic actors. This provides direct access to large-scale European infrastructures, including the AI-on-Demand platform and AI Factories.

Strengthening the research capacity of INCON: The project enables faculty members and researchers to experiment with and implement state-of-the-art open-source AI models in real-world case studies, fostering high-impact scientific publications and the development of new technological solutions.

Development opportunities for students and early-career researchers: Through Innovation Ecosystem Building activities (open innovation hackathons, Open Innovation Bootcamp), ULBS students will have the opportunity to engage directly in solving real-world technological challenges, facilitating knowledge transfer and accelerating their integration into advanced labor markets.

Enhancement of technology transfer: The project establishes an effective bridge between academia and the socio-economic environment. ULBS will be able to directly capitalize on its research outputs by integrating them into services delivered to SMEs and public administrations, reinforcing its mission as a driver of regional development.

Project Partners

FIT EDIH consortium consists of the following organizations:

• ICEBERG PLUS SRL – coordinator
• Universitatea de Medicină, Farmacie, Științe și Tehnologie „George Emil Palade” din Târgul Mureș
• Universitatea „Lucian Blaga” din Sibiu / Centrul INCON

• Agenția Metropolitană pentru Dezvoltare Durabilă Brașov
• Asociația Întreprinderilor Mici și Mijlocii Covasna
• ROPARDO SRL
• Patronatul Întreprinderilor Mici și Mijlocii
• Asociația Intercomunitară de Dezvoltare Alba Iulia
• Asociatia Cluster pentru Inovare si Tehnologie
• Secretariatul General al Guvernului
• Institutul Național de Cercetare-Dezvoltare în Informatică ICI București RA
• Asociația Edge Institute
• Asociatia Centrelor de Inovare Digitală din Romania RO-DIH
• Universidad de Navarra
• GRAMA PROIECT SRL