The year we are about to conclude has been a dynamic one for Green Digital Innovation Hub (Green eDIH), marked by promising projects, innovative collaborations, and an expanded service portfolio to address the current challenges faced by its members and partners.
The organization’s activity has focused on integrating sustainability into digital transformation, emphasizing practical solutions for businesses, communities, and the entire ecosystem. This year’s efforts reflect a commitment to building long-term partnerships, generating significant changes, and preparing for the future.
Strengthening the Partner Community
Green eDIH’s ability to form meaningful partnerships has been essential to this year’s achievements, supporting both innovation and the community. One such example is the collaboration with ETI PC, addressing social and environmental needs. The IT equipment and component donation campaign launched by Green eDIH aimed to promote digital inclusion while reducing electronic waste. The collected IT equipment was refurbished and then distributed by ETI PC to children in disadvantaged communities, providing them with the necessary resources for digital education and beyond.
Another important collaboration is with organizations such as Lideri na Budeshteto (Leaders for the Future) from Bulgaria and Zdravi grad (Healthy City) from Croatia. Together with these partners, Green eDIH is developing a project to reduce gaps in digital skills development in disadvantaged areas, particularly rural ones, with plans to seek private funding.
On a larger scale, Green eDIH collaborates with international partners such as Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, F6S, and TechConcepts BV to participate in European funding programs under Horizon Europe. Thus, the implementation of a project aimed at supporting SMEs in developing and implementing solutions based on artificial intelligence (AI) and data management has begun, aligning with the objectives of the European Green Deal. Through a three-pillar approach—a community of practice, testing platforms for low and advanced TRL levels, and extensive support for reskilling and business development—the project aims to fund over 20 technological solutions at TRL 6-7. With four areas of innovation—data collection, insight creation, decision support, and automation—the project supports the adoption of sustainable digital technologies and the competitiveness of SMEs in the European green economy.
At the same time, the HumanEnerDIA project, in partnership with A Plus Engineering from Turkey, aims to explore energy management systems based on intelligent digital assistants (DIA), demonstrating Green eDIH’s commitment to cross-border solutions that integrate technology and sustainability. Green eDIH supports this initiative through services such as partnership exploration, identifying manufacturing companies for solution testing and maintaining relationships throughout the project, organizing educational sessions, providing expert access, and promoting the solution.
At the national level, Green eDIH collaborated with MATRIX ROM to develop a project aimed at digitizing and making technical and scientific literature accessible. The project is designed to improve access to educational and cultural resources through the use of digital technologies. The investment focuses on acquiring equipment, software development, and creating accessible digital content, targeting a broad audience, including students, teachers, technical professionals, and people with disabilities. The project also integrates digital promotion tools, such as vlogs, an online catalog, online challenges, and digital marathons to support a wider community.
Key Projects with Significant Impact
In 2024, Green eDIH played a key role in projects addressing major challenges. For example, ChargeConnect is an initiative by BPA Target, using citizen science to identify, with Green eDIH’s support, issues related to the use of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Romania. With over 3,000 participants, the project analyzed infrastructure gaps and planned the development of recommendations based on concrete data. These include creating digital systems aimed at improving user experience through service standardization. From the outset, the goal was to put citizens at the center of the initiative, and Green eDIH is currently developing public policy recommendations to shape the future of sustainable mobility.
Another project launched in 2024 with Green eDIH’s support is CityPedia, which will support sustainable urban development by helping the startup refine its Smart City platform. Green eDIH provided market analysis, facilitated partnerships, and developed a business strategy aligned with sustainability goals. The project not only positions CityPedia to attract funding but also aligns the startup’s goals with the European Green Deal, creating an example of how innovation can simultaneously meet market demands and environmental challenges.
In 2023, the European Commission launched the Talent Boost Mechanism, which will support EU regions affected by the accelerated decline of the active population in training, retaining, and attracting the skills and competencies needed to overcome this impact. As part of this mechanism, the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission (DG REGIO) launched the Harnessing Talent Platform (HTP). In 2024, Green eDIH continued its role as a member of the DIGITAL working group, contributing to the development of thematic reference documents that offer practical strategies based on collaborative research and data analysis. Innovative digital tools are being developed to simplify talent management processes, from vocational training to continuous professional development, thus contributing to building resilient and well-prepared digital communities.
Expanding Services to Meet Emerging Requirements
To respond to changing market demands, Green eDIH expanded its service portfolio this year. A significant addition is the development of CSR and sustainability policies, which will help companies implement strategies aligned with the European Green Deal objectives and sustainable development. This service, along with digital maturity assessments, could serve as useful tools for companies aiming to improve efficiency and competitiveness in a continuously evolving regulatory environment.
In 2024, Green eDIH also focused on supporting business expansion by offering services that combined sustainability assessments with market access strategies. Leveraging its network, the organization connected stakeholders with potential investors and industry players, fostering collaborations that supported long-term growth.
Green eDIH provided access to experts for personalized consulting, supporting the integration and implementation of advanced technologies. Additionally, the organization facilitated knowledge sharing and access to updated resources and emerging technologies, offering essential support for innovation processes. It also promoted innovative projects by connecting solutions with a broad network of potential users.
To enhance visibility, a new website has been launched: https://dih.green/. This platform provides detailed information about the organization’s services and initiatives, allowing for more effective connections between partners and interested communities. The website features dedicated sections for educational resources, active projects, and collaboration opportunities, serving as a central hub for supporting the sustainable digital ecosystem and reflecting Green eDIH’s commitment to driving the transition toward a green and digitalized economy.
Lessons Learned and Future Planning
Looking ahead to 2025, Green eDIH aims to build on the success of existing initiatives. Partnerships with academic institutions will also be expanded to pilot these innovations across different regions of Romania. The organization plans to strengthen cross-border collaborations and integrate renewable energy solutions, reinforcing its role in creating a sustainable and inclusive digital ecosystem.
With data-driven approaches central to Green eDIH’s projects, surveys conducted as part of the ChargeConnect initiative have identified barriers such as range anxiety, uneven distribution of charging stations, and high adoption costs for electric vehicles. These insights have formed the basis for concrete recommendations and influencing national policies. As a natural continuation, ChargeConnect+ will establish a European-level network for knowledge sharing and develop a replicable model for sustainable e-mobility adoption across various regions.
Looking forward to 2025, Green eDIH will focus on scaling successful initiatives, expanding partnerships, and deepening involvement in European projects that promote digital transformation and sustainability.
The organization plans to launch customized programs to support SMEs with innovative tools and resources, helping them enhance their competitiveness and align their operations with the European Green Deal objectives. By continuously improving its service offerings, including digital maturity assessments, Green eDIH reaffirms its commitment to fostering the development of a sustainable and inclusive digital ecosystem.
