Robocoast EDIH was awarded the Digital Maturity Award in Brussels
The Robocoast EDIH consortium was awarded the Digital Maturity Award at the EDIH Summit 2026 in Brussels on 9–10 June 2026. The award was presented among more than 200 European Digital Innovation Hubs and highlights the consortium’s long‑term efforts to strengthen competitiveness and drive the digitalisation of Finnish small and medium‑sized enterprises.
EDIH stands for European Digital Innovation Hub.
Novia University of Applied Sciences plays a central role in the Robocoast EDIH consortium and is responsible for providing services to companies primarily in Ostrobothnia, but also in the rest of Finland. As one of the eleven participating higher education institutions in Finland, Novia contributes significant digital expertise, test environments, and support for SMEs seeking to strengthen their competitiveness through digitalisation.
Turnover increased among participating companies
Between 2022 and 2025, the Robocoast EDIH consortium delivered more than 3,300 free services to companies across Finland. Nearly 1,700 companies made use of these services. An impact study from late 2025 shows that the turnover of companies using the services was up to 40 percent higher at the end of 2024 compared to 2021. During the same period, the number of employees in these companies increased by 27 percent. For comparison, Finnish SMEs increased their turnover by an average of 7.8 percent and their number of employees by 4.4 percent between 2021 and 2024.
Mikko Puputti, coordinator of the Robocoast EDIH consortium, describes the recognition as follows:
“We are genuinely grateful for this award. Above all, it reflects trust in the work the entire consortium has done to strengthen the competitiveness of Finnish SMEs and promote digitalisation. This achievement is a great honour for us,” Puputti says.
European Digital Innovation Hubs were launched by the European Commission in 2022 and include more than 200 consortia across all EU countries. The network helps SMEs adopt advanced digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and cybersecurity. With support from the European Commission, EDIH consortia provide expertise, test environments, training, financial advisory services, and access to the EU’s AI ecosystem.
The STEP Seal, awarded to the Robocoast EDIH consortium by the European Commission in 2025, confirms its strategic importance in strengthening the EU’s technological competitiveness.
The services and resources of the Robocoast EDIH consortium are provided by eleven Finnish higher education institutions — including Novia — as well as two companies: 28DIGITAL Oy and Prizztech Oy, which also serves as the consortium’s coordinating organisation.
Main photo: Representatives of Robocoast EDIH receiving the award in Brussels. From left: host Jennifer Baker, Lucilla Sioli (Director of the EU AI Office), Aiga Irmeja (from the second awarded project EDIHLV), Kati Kiljunen, Petri Salo, and Juha‑Pekka Alanen.
Read more about Robocoast EDIH here.
Read more about EDIH Summit 2026 here.
For more information, contact
- Novia University of Applied Sciences, Project Manager Fredrik Hanstén, fredrik.hansten@novia.fi, 050 448 3179
- Novia University of Applied Sciences, Project Manager Sören Mattbäck, soren.mattback@novia.fi, 050 306 5092
Sender
- Novia University of Applied Sciences, Communications Officer Linda Granback, linda.granback@novia.fi, 050 408 5758