On the second day of the EDIH Summit 2026, the EDIH CLOTEX-HUB team participated in the workshop "New EDIH Frontiers: From Capabilities to Collaboration in Associated Countries", dedicated to expanding cooperation between digital innovation hubs and strengthening the role of associated countries in the European innovation ecosystem.
The workshop took place as part of the EDIH Summit 2026, the main annual event of the European Digital Innovation Hubs network, which this year was held under the slogan "Strengthening the AI Innovation Ecosystem". The main topic of the summit was the issue of effective implementation of artificial intelligence in the activities of small and medium-sized businesses and the public sector, as well as strengthening the interaction between EDIH, AI Factories, Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEFs) and other elements of the European AI ecosystem.
The participation of the EDIH CLOTEX-HUB project coordinator was especially important for Ukraine. Оксани Захаркевич, who acted as a speaker at the workshop and presented the Ukrainian experience in developing digital innovation ecosystems.
During the discussion, representatives of Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary and other countries discussed the possibilities of deepening cooperation between digital innovation hubs, creating new business support services, developing international partnerships, and integrating associated countries into European digital transformation programs.
In her speech, Oksana Zakharkevych presented the activities of CLOTEX-HUB and shared her experience in supporting the digital transformation of textile and fashion industry enterprises. In particular, she presented approaches to developing digital competencies, implementing modern design technologies, using innovative digital tools in production, and preparing businesses for the transition to Industry 4.0 principles.
The participants paid special attention to the role of international cooperation in the implementation of innovations. In the context of the rapid development of artificial intelligence and digital technologies, it is precisely the partnership between hubs, knowledge exchange and access to common European infrastructure that are becoming important factors in increasing the competitiveness of enterprises and regions. This approach is fully consistent with the strategic vision of the EDIH Summit 2026, where digital innovation hubs are considered not only as access points to technologies, but as active drivers of digital change for business and society.
The workshop program can be found on the summit website – https://european-digital-innovation-hubs.ec.europa.eu/edih-summit-2026-strengthening-ai-innovation-ecosystem
Participation in the workshop was an opportunity for CLOTEX-HUB not only to present the results of the project at the international level, but also to demonstrate Ukraine's potential as an active participant in the European digital ecosystem. The contacts obtained and the ideas developed create new opportunities for the development of international partnerships and the implementation of joint innovation initiatives in the future.
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