Accessible digital experimentation spaces - West Flanders

General introduction

Many Flemish SMEs still have substantial steps to take in the digitization process. At the same time, we note that many organizations offer support in this digitization process and at different times along the transformation path. However, these organizations operate too much in silos, are too fragmented and there is too little transparency in the digitization landscape. Within this ERDF project, we would like to tackle these problems and allow as many Flemish SMEs as possible to take steps forward with regard to digitization through an accessible approach.

Via this ERDF project, VOKA is now rolling out an easily accessible approach to digitization for as many Flemish SMEs as possible per Flemish province. In West Flanders, the ILVO marine research department is one of the knowledge partners helping to support the digital help and guidance desk.  

Research approach

Digital experience labs, with guidance from a broad consortium of complementary knowledge partners including ILVO, accelerate the digitization ambition of SMEs. SMEs from all sectors can call upon a central office. As soon as they are prepared to invest in their digital transformation, they can easily access guidance on new (data-driven) digital technologies. Integration of digital systems and local adaptations to the concrete business reality is also possible. The knowledge partners help to map available infrastructure, tools and methodologies and provide technical expertise. The consortium partners also give attention to any flanking aspects. Within each province, this digital hub will be rolled out in a similar way with a digital platform in function of synergy and transparency. Voka assumes the role of SPOC and has put together a broad consortium of partners for this purpose.

Relevance/Valorisation

In West Flanders there are a lot of agricultural, food and marine related SMEs and ILVO quickly connects to them. In this project, however, ILVO, as a Flemish scientific institution with widely applicable digital expertise, is clearly making itself available to the SME fabric. ILVO makes a useful contribution here to the activation of possibly every Flemish SME in the field of digitization via an accessible approach. The SMEs that embrace (further) digitization with guidance are asked to contribute 30% of the guidance themselves.  

Funding provider(s)
Europees Fonds voor Regionale Ontwikkeling (EFRO)