EXPAND (EXtended Piedmont and Aosta Valley Network for Digitalization) is a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) that supports businesses and public administrations in Piedmont and the Aosta Valley in their digital transformation journeys. Funded by the European Union under the Digital Europe program (Grant Agreement No. 101083443), the project aims to make the regions more competitive through the dissemination of skills, technologies, and financial tools related to innovation.
EXPAND’s intervention model is based on four pillars: training and development of digital skills, test before invest (to experiment with technologies before investing), access to public and private funding, and networking to connect businesses, research entities, and institutions. Key technologies include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, additive manufacturing, advanced robotics, and extended reality.
The project is promoted by a consortium of prominent regional partners — including CIM, Fondazione LINKS, CSI Piemonte, API Torino, and Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center — and offers subsidized or free services (up to 100%) for SMEs and PAs. The ultimate goal is to increase the digital maturity of the productive and public sectors, contributing to the European objectives of the Digital Decade 2030.