EDIH Madrid Region 2.0 kicks off its new phase with the launch meeting at the madri+d Foundation

The headquarters of the madri+d Knowledge Foundation hosted the kick-off meeting of EDIH Madrid Region 2.0 on January 20, 2026 , a milestone that formally marks the beginning of the new phase of the European Digital Innovation Hub of the Community of Madrid. The event brought together consortium partners and institutional representatives to strengthen collaboration, share priorities, and coordinate the work plan for the next three years .

Institutional support for the digitalization of SMEs and public administrations

The opening of the meeting was led by Federico Morán , director of the madri+dy Foundation, the coordinating entity of the project. Following him, Mercedes Zarzalejo Carbajo , Deputy Minister of Universities, Research and Science of the Community of Madrid, highlighted the value of EDIHs as strategic instruments to support the digital transformation of the business sector , especially SMEs , and to strengthen the modernization of public administrations .

A European project to accelerate digital transformation

During the session, EDIH Madrid Region 2.0 was presented, an initiative co-financed by the European Union's Digital Europe Programme that seeks to accelerate the digitization of Madrid organizations through high-value services in areas such as artificial intelligence , robotics , cybersecurity , digital training , access to financing and connection with European ecosystems .

A diverse and specialized consortium

One of the central segments of the Kick-off meeting was the presentation of the consortium and the capabilities that each entity contributes. The madri+d Foundation explained its role in project management, fostering the ecosystem, and connecting with regional and European policies. In the science and technology area, UC3M , UPM , and CSIC shared their experience in applied research and technology transfer.

For their part, AECIM and AEDHE focused on understanding Madrid's industrial and business fabric to bring the hub's services closer to SMEs. PONS IP presented its contribution in specialized training and industrial and intellectual property, while 28 Digital highlighted its role in the European dimension, open innovation, and international networking. The Artificial Intelligence Cluster of the Community of Madrid (AI Cluster) emphasized its contribution to boosting the AI ecosystem.

Likewise, the associate members shared lines of collaboration: the Madrid Chamber of Commerce presented its experience in supporting companies and services in digitalization, and the Community of Madrid , through the Ministry of Digitalization, highlighted the alignment of the project with the regional strategies for digital transformation.

Services to support digitization from start to finish

The meeting outlined the hub's main lines of work, with special attention to its services:

• Digital consulting : personalized diagnosis of the level of digitization and assessment of capabilities (digital strategy, data, automation and emerging technologies such as AI).
• Training and development : catalog of actions for basic skills and specialization (AI, key tools, and legal aspects related to R&D management, among others).
• Technology testing : access to solutions to test and validate technologies (AI, robotics, sensors, computer vision and data models) before investing.
• Funding search : support to identify calls for proposals and prepare proposals at regional, national and European levels, including guidance and partner search.
• Networking and access to the ecosystem : spaces for collaboration between SMEs, the public sector, technology centers, startups and strategic partners through events, laboratories and sector meetings.

Expected impact: more companies supported and greater European ambition

EDIH Madrid Region 2.0 aims to support over 500 companies , attract new investment projects, and offer financing assistance, with an estimated mobilization of over €12 million . Furthermore, it seeks to strengthen Madrid's position in Artificial Intelligence by promoting training, technology testing, and collaboration with European initiatives.

In terms of capabilities, the project plans to promote advanced digital skills through more than 130 training courses (AI, supercomputing, cybersecurity and green digitization) and to energize the ecosystem by participating in more than 60 networking events , consolidating the region as a European benchmark in digital innovation.

Overall, EDIH Madrid Region 2.0 aims to become a stable meeting point between technology, businesses and the public sector , with a focus on advanced digitalization and AI as levers for competitiveness and modernization of Madrid's productive fabric.