eXpression Umeå is a proud project partner in the Interreg project CARPE DIGEM which had a kick-off meeting at L'INKUB (Digital Accelerator and Innovation Hub) in Nevers, France, 24-25 September together with the Lead partner Digital Nievre and nine other organisations from seven countries.

CARPE DIGEM is about how to create working digital innovation ecosystems (DIGEM) as a tool to convert the use of and application of new technologies into economic and social opportunities. This requires investment in structures, strategies, tools and people that both complement and enhance the impact of technologies and digital hubs.

Digital hubs that can be fablabs and makerspaces where making and prototyping is at the centre, it can be the digital platforms used and built by the creative industries in music, fashion, film. The also be the digital e-commerce platforms built by entrepreneurs in the creative industries together with strong digital muscles and a good understanding of the customer.

The meeting in Nevers started with each partner giving a short presentation about their organisation including their expectations and the added value they bring to the CARPE DIGEM project. Each partner presented and reviewed the Partner Territorial DIGEMs (Digital innovation Ecosystems) together with the current social, economic innovation processes, methods, tools, policies and strategies and their ambitions and planned strategies to change them. All partners have presented the preliminary selection of good practices related to the regional digital innovation systems in their countries.

In addition to partner meetings, a very intensive programme was held with visits with presentations of business, public and community initiatives and projects held in the Nevers and Nievre region.

The next step for CARPE DIGEM partners is the identification of good practices and the establishment of stakeholder groups formed by relevant stakeholders in each region who will commit to actively participate in project activities seeking their support and contribution to the success of the project.

The local DIGEM needs and system optimization analysis and the first intra- and interregional vision for DIGEM improvement will be further developed through Peer review-Study visits in Slovenia 25 - 26.11.2019. Partners will get acquainted with the Slovenian experience: national rural-centric networks and one-stop shops for digital prototyping and experimentation.

You will find some photos from our kick-off meeting in Nevers, here.