sustAIn.brussels

INTRODUCTION

“The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the critical role of digital technologies and infrastructures in our lives and demonstrated how our societies and economies rely on digital solutions. Moreover, it has accelerated the digital transition”.  (workprogramme: Digital Europe / European digital innovation hub (EDIH) 2021-2023)

sustAIn.brussels will be the Accelerator for digital transformation and positions itself at the cross-section of the digital and sustainable ecosystem in Brussels and reaches out to the local SME ecosystem to step up and play a role in making both their businesses as society more sustainable. We have asked Hans De Canck- Director FARI AI for the Common Good Institute, what choice sustAIn.brussels has made with respect to ‘digital technologies’ and ‘sustainability’?

The choice of the consortium focuses on the ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) and SDG (Sustainable development goals) frameworks to stimulate a responsible uptake of AI, Data and Robotics technologies. In doing so, we will contribute to many of the regulatory requirements set forward by EU policy. Digital technologies, specifically AI-driven, should be human-centric (human in ultimate control) and technical robust and safe (compliant with privacy and data governance best practices -assuring fairness and transparent). As core partners in this proposal, VUB are also leading the FARI Institute on AI for the Common Good (https://fari.brussels/) with the ULB, nurturing society- and environment-savvy elements all along the AI research & innovation service value chain.  By making digital solutions accountable, sustAIn.brussels will make sure digital solutions are benefiting for the society as a whole, rather than individuals. With Global regulatory frameworks on Ethical and sustainable AI under development, it is important for the EDIHs to inform and test the progress of these frameworks, and its local applicability. SustAIn.brussels will contribute to this by facilitating the development of legal sandboxes, underpinning standards for testing, inspection and certification and focuses on how SME’s (small and medium sized companies) can benefit of this for their digital innovation. The project will offer services like Testing, Training, Access to financie and Networking activities in order to achieve this.

The industrial tissue of the Brussels-Capital Region (BCR) consists of 99.7% of SMEs and has a high concentration of digital and service-oriented companies. Digital technology is the major driver of their innovations. Nevertheless, these companies perform slightly below the European average on the uptake of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and finish third last in using ICT for environmental sustainability.

AIM

This specific context justifies the launch of a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) in Brussels. It will act as single point of access for companies to sustainable digital innovation, enabled by AI and other emerging technologies.

Based on the local industrial needs and in line with the policies of the Brussels-Capital Region, the following 5 strategic objectives have been defined for the EDIH:

1. Encourage and facilitate digital innovation for economic, social and environmental transition
2. Contribute to the post-Covid recovery
3. Strengthen Brussels’ leadership in artificial intelligence
4. Be a gateway to Europe, promoting and enriching Brussels’ expertise and industry
5. Facilitate digitization of the Brussels’ industry

DELIVERABLE

This proposal brings together all necessary elements to implement a successful EDIH in Brussels:

               A thematic focus that translates into a balanced and flexible service portfolio to support the regional SMEs to improve their (future) competitiveness.

               A strong support from the Brussels-Capital Region that aspires to be frontrunner in Belgium and Europe. It will co-finance the EDIH for 50% during the next 7 years with an amount of 2.1M€ for the first 3 years.

               A lean and experienced consortium that can deliver the services in 3 different languages (French, Dutch & English) and set up European corridors and reach out to other EDIHs.

IMPACT

The ECIH will be implemented by 5 complementary innovation actors in Brussels being: Agoria, Sirris, BeCentral, ULB and VUB. It will reach 1500 companies.