The event “Innovation without Borders: Opportunities of Digital Europe for Ukraine” was held to present the opportunities and results of the EU’s Digital Europe program. The program supports the development of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and cloud services and helps Ukrainian companies and organizations integrate into the EU digital market.

Since 2022, Ukrainian institutions and companies have been actively attracting funding under Digital Europe. To date:

• 19 grant agreements have been signed;
• 75 institutions and organizations have joined the Program;
• 7.2 million euros have been raised by Ukrainian institutions, organizations and educational institutions to implement joint digital projects with European partners

Among the organizations that have attracted funding are the State Enterprise Diia, the Association “Lviv Cluster of Information Technology and Business Services”, Polissia National University, the National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”, Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University, Khosa LLC, Tanhost LLC, National University of Chernihiv Polytechnic, the Public Union “Kharkiv Cluster of Information Technology”, and IT Events Promotion LLC.

One of the key tools for supporting digital projects is the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) established in Ukraine through the Program. These hubs help businesses test technologies, adapt digital solutions, and attract investment. During the event, Eastern Ukraine EDIH, Win-Win EDIH, CentralUkrainianEDIH, POLIDIH (Polissia Digital Innovation Hub), Clotex Hub, Zaporizhzhia EDIH, EDIH “Kyiv Hitech”, EUNITED Digital Hub shared their experience in implementing the latest technologies in the areas of energy, energy efficiency, healthcare, manufacturing, FoodTech, EdTech, digital and green transformation.

Ukrainian companies can take advantage of the support of the Business and Export Development Office, which is the national contact point for the Digital Europe program. It is available on the Diia.Business portal:

• Free consultations on grant opportunities under the Program;
• A series of webinars on digital innovations, eHealth and funding;
• Grant competitions under the EU’s Digital Europe program.

Participation in the program until 2027 provides an opportunity to receive funding for digitalization in the following areas: high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, digital skills, and the use of technology in the economy and society. EUR 6 billion has been allocated for these areas. Digitalization is not only a driver of economic development, but also an important tool in the fight against corruption. Process automation, transparent financing mechanisms, and auditing minimize the risks of fraud and ensure efficient use of resources.

The event is organized within the framework of the Digital Europe program, the strategic coordinator of which in Ukraine is the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and the Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development is a practical consultant. The event is held jointly with the national project Diia.Business with the support of the German government (GIZ project, Digital Transformation of SMEs in the Eastern Partnership countries).

Source: https://thedigital.gov.ua/