The project BEST4.0 - Blue Economy Sectors Digital Transformation towards Industry 4.0 has started

The BEST4.0 project, full name "Blue Economy Sectors Digital Transformation towards Industry 4.0", in which the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) is a partner, started on February 1, 2024, and was approved for financing within the first call for submissions of the project proposal within the program Interreg Italy - Croatia 2021 – 2027.

It will last 30 months, and its total value is 1,799,258.00 euros.
The project holder is CNA Ferrara, Italy (Confederazione Nazionale dell'Artigianato e della Piccola e Media Impresa Ferrara), and other partners in addition to HGK are Area Science Park TS (IT), CETMA DIH (IT), CNA Ancona (IT), DIH Agrifood Croatia (HR), the Istrian Development Agency - IDA (HR) and the Maritime Faculty of the University of Rijeka (HR).
The Best4.0 project is a candidate for the Interreg V-A Italy - Croatia 2021 - 2027 competition, 1st call for proposals, thematic area - encouraging the introduction of digital innovations. Many established sectors of the blue economy, as well as emerging ones, today need innovation, technology transfer and digitization of products and processes.
This is a consequence of the shortcomings in connecting the private sector and research and innovation centers in the program area, and improving this connection through the role of Digital Innovation Hubs (DiH) would allow reducing the distance between the different areas classified as high-performing, in terms of process and product innovation, and those with moderate performance.
The goal of the project is to support the introduction of I4.0 principles in the sectors of the blue economy, through DiH and innovative, smart and digital business solutions. The innovative elements of BEST4.0 will be applied on a methodology based on a 'bottom-up' approach, starting from the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises to improve services.
Through the cross-border cooperation of business support organizations, DIHs, development agencies and innovation centers that can support SMEs and provide I4.0 solutions and services, BEST4.0 will develop:
• cross-border catalog I4.0 of the blue economy,
• a cross-border network of centers for digital innovation, which helps small and medium-sized enterprises of the blue economy in achieving their digital transformation,
• create innovative business solutions, I4.0 applications.
HGK - Split County Chamber, as a project partner, will contribute to the strengthening of digitization and innovation related to the fisheries, aquaculture and shipbuilding sectors in the Split-Dalmatia County through various activities such as mapping, organization of local workshops and publicity activities.
On March 6, 2024, an online Kick off meeting was held, where the project, partners from Croatia and Italy, and upcoming steps and activities were presented in more detail.