The digitalisation of industry – Industry 4.0 – is rapidly transforming all stages of the production value chain of goods globally. Advances in robotics, data collection, cybersecurity and other technologies are creating increasingly efficient, flexible and tailored manufacturing processes. If exploited, these technologies could create huge growth in European industries.
ECSEL Joint Undertaking (ECSEL-JU) is an EU-driven public-private partnership, funding innovation in electronic components and systems (www.ecsel.eu). Through the ECSEL-JU, European industry, SMEs and Research and Technology Organisations are supported and co-financed by ECSEL participating states and the European Union. ECSEL-JU has created “Lighthouse initiatives” as they identified the need to better coordinate and link Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) activities taking place in order to help European industry achieve digital transition and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and leadership. Three Lighthouses have been launched to date; Industry4.E, Mobility.E and Health.E. Each Lighthouse is led by an advisory committee called a LIASE (Lighthouse Initiative Advisory Service).
The Industry4.E Lighthouse has a special focus on all means of microelectronics and ICT for Digital Industry. Operating across project, funding, and national boundaries, Industry4.E is expected to bring together relevant RDI projects funded across various funding programmes helping them to connect with each other and the end-user/stakeholder community.
To support the implementation of activities in relation to the Industry4.E Lighthouse, ECSEL JU via Horizon 2020 have funded a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) for 24 months starting in October 2018. CSA-Industry4.E intends to:
- Support the LIASE in establishing the Lighthouse
- Actively assist in enabling successful execution of the Digital Industry roadmap
- Engage research communities – coordinate the relevant stakeholders, project consortia and policy-makers
- Facilitate, support and assist Industry4.E projects in effectively exploiting project results
- Promote the Lighthouse visibility
- Develop and implement a public engagement and outreach strategy to raise the visibility of Industry4.E to the broader public and related initiatives