The completion of the first three years of implementation of the European Digital Innovation Hub – Digital Innovation Zone (EDIH-DIZ) marks an important milestone in the maturity of the digital innovation ecosystem in Romania’s North-East Region. More than the closing of a contractual phase, this moment reflects the consolidation of a strong infrastructure designed to support the digital transformation of companies and public institutions, while significantly contributing to increasing regional competitiveness and innovation capacity.

EDIH-DIZ was designed as a catalyst for digitalization, providing access to technological expertise, testing and validation services, training programs, and innovation support tailored to both businesses and the public sector. Through its activities, the project facilitated the adoption of advanced digital solutions, accelerating modernization processes and helping organizations adapt to the requirements of the European digital economy.

A Community Built on Collaboration and Expertise

One of the main pillars of EDIH-DIZ’s success has been the strength of its team and the quality of collaboration among partners. The project was designed and implemented by an extended community of more than 100 experts from nine partner organizations, each bringing complementary competencies and valuable experience in digitalization, research, innovation, and economic development.

The North-East Regional Innovative Cluster for Molecular and Structural Imaging IMAGO-MOL played an active role within the consortium, contributing to the development of innovation-oriented services and facilitating collaboration between academia, research, and the business sector. Alongside IMAGO-MOL, the consortium included organizations with strategic impact on regional development and technology transfer:

  • “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași

  • “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iași

  • Digital Innovation Zone Association

  • North-East Regional Development Agency

  • Grapefruit

  • Strongbytes

  • Atelierul de Idei

  • RomSoft

This multidisciplinary collaboration enabled the creation of a functional ecosystem that supports innovation, stimulates knowledge transfer, and facilitates organizational access to emerging technologies.

Results Supporting Regional Digital Transformation

Throughout the three years of implementation, EDIH-DIZ generated tangible results, contributing to the increased level of digitalization among companies and public institutions in the region. Through dedicated services, training sessions, mentoring activities, and acceleration programs, the project supported the development of digital competencies and the adoption of innovative solutions.

At the same time, the project facilitated the creation of strong bridges between academia, research, and industry, contributing to the development of a collaborative framework that stimulates entrepreneurial initiatives and supports the transfer of technology to the market.

IMAGO-MOL – Contributing to the Development of the Innovation Ecosystem

The participation of the IMAGO-MOL Cluster within the EDIH-DIZ consortium represented an important opportunity to strengthen the cluster’s role in supporting innovation and digitalization in healthcare and advanced technologies. Through its involvement in project activities, IMAGO-MOL contributed to facilitating collaboration between key ecosystem stakeholders and to developing initiatives aimed at accelerating the adoption of innovative digital solutions.

Looking Ahead

EDIH-DIZ represents a best practice example of how collaboration between organizations, interdisciplinary expertise, and access to European funding can generate real impact in regional development. The project does not only mark the completion of a phase but also creates the foundation for new initiatives and opportunities that will continue to support the digital transformation of the North-East Region.

EDIH-DIZ stands for real impact, cooperation, and long-term vision for regional digitalization. The next step involves consolidating achieved results and expanding innovation services toward new organizations and activity sectors.

Discover More About the Project’s Impact

To learn more about the results, impact, and collaborations that contributed to the development of the EDIH-DIZ ecosystem — including the contribution of the IMAGO-MOL Cluster and the entire consortium — we invite you to access the project brochure:
👉 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qYeU3_hOf9G7emRnMYDmPD4rYdBzpojw/view