Digital Innovation Hub Lombardia

What Digital Innovation Hub Lombardia does

Digital Innovation Hub Lombardia (DIH Lombardia) is a non-profit association founded in June 2017 and headquartered in Milan, operating as the digital transformation arm of Confindustria Lombardia for small and medium enterprises across the Lombardy region. The organization delivers its services through a network of 9 territorial antennas embedded in provincial Confindustria associations (Alto Milanese, Assolombarda, Bergamo, Como, Cremona, Lecco-Sondrio, Mantova, Varese, plus the cross-provincial innexHUB for Brescia/Cremona/Mantova), reaching an addressable base of over 100,000 manufacturing SMEs that account for roughly one-fifth of Italy's manufacturing output. Core service offerings include the Test Industria 4.0 online Digital Maturity Assessment (co-developed with Politecnico di Milano and Assoconsult), a free Cybersecurity Check tool built with CINI, the AI Adoption structured 3-step program, technology scouting, training programs, and connection to financing partners.

The business model is grant- and association-funded rather than transaction-based: services to SMEs are free or subsidized, with operating capital sourced from Regione Lombardia (Bando HUB CUP E44E19001820009), PNRR funds, EU EDIH program allocations under M.I.A. Lombardia (designated June 2024), Confindustria membership contributions, and bank partnership programs with UniCredit and UBI Banca (€1B plafond). The go-to-market combines community-led engagement through the Confindustria network, event-driven activation (Tech Beauty Contest, Tech Missions to Silicon Valley and China, sector roadshows across automotive, life sciences, food, chemicals, and mechatronics), and self-serve digital tools. DIH Lombardia operates with 14 employees and is governed by a board presided over by Stefano Poliani (re-elected for 2026-2028), with Pierluigi Petrali as Director and Giuseppe Linati (formerly of Pirelli) as Director General.

Name

Digital Innovation Hub Lombardia

Legal name

DIH Lombardia

Website

https://dihlombardia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Digital Innovation Hub Lombardia is a Confindustria-affiliated non-profit association that provides digital maturity assessments, AI adoption advisory, and cybersecurity tools to manufacturing SMEs across Lombardy's 9 provincial antennas, funded by public grants and association contributions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial digital transformation consulting

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Enablement & Adoption Services (Change Management, Adoption, Champions) (BPAEANAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Enterprise Architecture & IT Operating Model (BPAHAEAB)

Keywords

• Digital transformation consulting
• Industry 4.0 services
• SME digitalization programs
• Digital maturity assessment
• Innovation hub advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Advisory and Consulting Services: Free and subsidized services for SMEs funded through Regione Lombardia support and Confindustria membership contributions. Digital maturity assessments, AI adoption roadmaps, and transformation consulting are provided at no direct cost to enterprises, with funding from public grants and organizational support.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DIH Lombardia is a non-profit digital innovation hub that supports small and medium manufacturing enterprises in adopting Industry 4.0 and AI technologies. Its core offerings include digital maturity assessments (Test Industria 4.0), a structured AI Adoption pathway, a free Cybersecurity Check tool, technology scouting, training programs, and connections to financing through bank partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Test Industria 4.0 Digital Maturity Assessment Online self-assessment service, co-developed by Confindustria, Politecnico di Milano, and Assoconsult, measuring SME digital maturity across execution, monitoring and control, technologies, and organization dimensions within enterprise value chains. Generates qualified leads for follow-up advisory services.
• AI Adoption Pathway Structured 3-step service for SMEs: (1) digital maturity assessment of processes, data and digitalization levels; (2) AI adoption roadmap defining priorities and AI use cases; (3) operational support for implementation with cybersecurity integration.
• Cybersecurity Check Tool Free online vulnerability assessment service co-developed with CINI - Cybersecurity Lab, enabling SMEs to evaluate their cybersecurity posture. Delivered through cybersecurity.assolombarda.it.
• Innovation Trekking, Innovation RampUp, Industry Call (ComoNExT programs) ComoNExT-offered services including guided tours of innovative enterprises (Innovation Trekking), structured 3-step pathway for digital transformation (Innovation RampUp), and an open innovation tool for scouting, selecting and adopting innovative solutions for SMEs (Industry Call).
• DAMAS - Digital Innovation for Automotive and Aerospace Program targeting the automotive and aerospace manufacturing sectors in Lombardy, focused on accelerating digital innovation and supporting sector-specific Industry 4.0 adoption by SMEs and their supply chains.
• M.I.A. Lombardia (Manufacturing Innovation Alliance) - European Digital Innovation Hub Network designated as a European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) providing services including test-before-invest, skills and training, support to find investment, and innovation ecosystem networking for Lombardy manufacturing SMEs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250+ enterprises engaged with DIH Lombardia services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Manufacturing FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Co-organization of Tech Beauty Contest 2021 within World Manufacturing Forum 2021. Joint selection of finalists and award ceremony during World Manufacturing Week 2021 at Cernobbio, Italy.
• ABBcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Fabbrica Faro (Lighthouse Factory) partner for Tech Beauty Contest 2021. Member of jury evaluating innovative SME proposals across three categories.
• AnsaldocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Fabbrica Faro partner for Tech Beauty Contest 2021. Contributing jury member for evaluating process innovation, product innovation, and sustainable innovation categories.
• Hitachi RailcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Fabbrica Faro partner for Tech Beauty Contest 2021, evaluating SME innovations in manufacturing excellence.
• Tenova - Ori MartincoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Fabbrica Faro partner for Tech Beauty Contest 2021 jury evaluation of innovative SME projects.
• HSDcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Fabbrica Faro partner for Tech Beauty Contest 2021 contributing to innovation awards evaluation.
• WartsilacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Fabbrica Faro partner for Tech Beauty Contest 2021 participating in jury evaluation of SME innovations.
• MADE Competence CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2020Collaboration agreement between DIH Network and Competence Centers for supporting enterprise digital transformation. Joint webinar series with 11 speakers and 400+ participating enterprises. Joint participation at BIMU trade fair (October 2022). Joint Bando funding presentation events across Lombardy territories.
• Politecnico di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Digital Maturity Assessment development and delivery. MIP Politecnico di Milano co-developed the Test Industria 4.0 online assessment tool. Joint organization of NOI 4.0 workshop with Dipartimento di Gestione Gestionale for measuring enterprise digital maturity. Two editions of Percorso Executive in Manufacturing Management – Industria 4.0 organized with MIP.
• LIUC - Università CattaneocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Industry 4.0 lab access and training. LIUC provides Laurea Magistrale in Progettazione e Gestione della Fabbrica Intelligente, Executive Program 'L'eandustry 4.0', and iFab excellence laboratories for DIH Lombardia clients.
• CINI - Cybersecurity LabcoreTechnology or IntegrationCo-development of Cybersecurity Check tool - free online vulnerability assessment for SMEs to evaluate cybersecurity posture. Tool made freely available at cybersecurity.assolombarda.it.
• Sant'Anna di PisaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership within European AI network of 30 entities selected for AI innovation collaboration. DIH Lombardia selected alongside Sant'Anna di Pisa and Parco tecnologico di Trieste.
• Parco tecnologico di TriesteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership within European AI network of 30 entities for AI innovation. Joint collaboration on digital transformation research and best practice sharing.
• ITS - Istituti Tecnici SuperioriminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipation in ITS foundation boards for post-diploma technical courses, collaboration on school-to-work alternation programs, and support for Industry 4.0 education pathways.
• LeonardocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWave 2 collaboration on Leonardo Digital Supply Chain project in partnership with Confindustria DIH network. DIH Lombardia contributed to identifying and engaging supply chain partners for digital transformation.
• AssoconsultcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner for Test Industria 4.0 digital maturity assessment tool alongside Confindustria and Politecnico di Milano.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Trentino Sviluppo: Trentino-based innovation and development agency operating innovation hubs and tech transfer services. Comparable regional public-adjacent model serving SMEs, but focused on Trentino-Alto Adige.
• ART-ER: Emilia-Romagna's in-house innovation agency that aggregates research, training, and industrial innovation services for SMEs. Comparable regional public-adjacent model but focused on Emilia-Romagna rather than Lombardy.
• IDM Südtirol: Alto Adige innovation agency supporting SMEs in digitalization and innovation. Similar regional public-private hybrid model targeting SME digital transformation in a defined Italian geography.

Direct peers

• MADE Competence Center: Italy's flagship Industry 4.0 competence center based in Milan, co-founded by Politecnico di Milano. Provides largely overlapping services (digital maturity assessment, AI/IoT adoption, transformation roadmaps) to the same Lombardy SME base, and is already a documented partner of DIH Lombardia.
• SMACT Competence Center: Veneto's competence center, part of the same Italian national Competence Center network. Directly comparable public-private model offering digital transformation services to regional SMEs with similar funding streams from MISE/PNRR.
• CIM 4.0: Competence center for Industry 4.0 headquartered in Turin, also part of the Italian national Competence Center network. Offers comparable digital maturity assessment, training, and innovation adoption services to Piedmont SMEs, competing directly for national-level programme funding.
• BI-REX Competence Center: Bologna-based Industry 4.0 competence center specializing in big data, advanced robotics, and manufacturing digitalization. Another peer in Italy's national Competence Center network with similar SME-focused services and funding model.
• Digital Innovation Hub Piemonte: Regional DIH operating under the same national Confindustria framework, serving Piemonte SMEs with comparable digital maturity assessment, AI adoption, and Industry 4.0 advisory services. Most direct structural twin to DIH Lombardia.

Broad incumbents

• EIT Manufacturing: EU-wide Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) for manufacturing, with which DIH Lombardia is already partnered. Provides broader pan-European reach and co-funding but less localised SME intimacy than DIH Lombardia's antenna network.
• Confindustria Nazionale DIH Network: The national Network of Italian Digital Innovation Hubs coordinated by Confindustria, of which DIH Lombardia is a regional node. Hosts the Test Industria 4.0 platform and provides the macro framework that DIH Lombardia operates within.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/digital-innovation-hub-lombardia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Digital Innovation Hub Lombardia