When the EDIH and B4PIC networks meet : Services that empower, networks that connect, actions that are co-created

Earlier this month, GreenWin and ECTP organised an event to bring together representatives from  European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs), the Built4People Innovation Cluster (B4PIC) Network, European Union (EU) institutions and innovation stakeholders from across Europe.

The event provided a unique opportunity to exchange insights, explore collaboration mechanisms and co-create future joint actions to accelerate digital and sustainable transformation in the construction ecosystem.

Morning session: Networks, services and practical impact

The event opened with a welcome note from Gilles Colson, COO of GreenWin, and Anastasiya Yurchyshyna, Secretary General of ECTP, setting the scene for closer cooperation between digital innovation actors and the construction ecosystem.

Participants then received an overview of the EDIHs, presented by Gaspard Demur, Deputy Head of Unit ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation and Policy Coordination’ at the EU AI Office, including its service offer and the growing role of AI as a strategic driver for competitiveness, resilience and innovation across sectors.

This was followed by a presentation of the B4PIC Network, delivered by Anastasiya Yurchyshyna, outlining its role within the Built4People (B4P) Partnership and its contribution to fostering innovation, collaboration and impact in the built environment.

Following this, the programme continued with the Thematic Working Group on Construction, presented by Stéphanie Roosa from EDIH Connect and Luigi Perissich from DIHCUBE. The session highlighted the main activities of the current eight construction EDIHs, their focus areas and key achievements in supporting digital transformation in construction.

Concrete implementation was at the centre of the following sessions:

• Practical examples of EDIH services provision for companies, demonstrating hands-on support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and industry – presented by six different EDIHs: DIHCUBE (Italy), DIGITAL Built (Portugal), EDICS (Bulgaria), TKEDIH (Poland), EDIH-EBE (Belgium) and EDIH Connect (Belgium).
• Practical examples of B4PIC activities, showcasing cluster-driven collaboration and innovation initiatives, delivered by SYXIS (Lithuania) and Construction City Cluster (Norway). Both B4PICs signed the B4P Innovation Cluster Charter later that afternoon and officially became Emerging B4PICs.

The morning concluded with a networking lunch and a visit to the Buildwise Demonstration Centre, where participants explored live demonstrations and continued informal exchanges.

Afternoon session: Co-Creating future actions

The afternoon shifted from information sharing to active collaboration.

A first session set the collaboration framework, introducing the participatory methodology used during the round tables and outlining the objectives for each working group. Short thematic pitches prepared participants for the collaborative discussions ahead.

The participatory round table workshops then focused on co-creating concrete future actions, fostering alignment between networks and identifying joint initiatives with tangible impact:

• Positioning and collaboration around four upcoming EU calls, including two Built4People calls.
• A potential joint presence at Smart City Expo World Congress (November 2026, Barcelona).
• The DIHCUBE Launch Pad event—a matchmaking initiative designed to boost the exposure and growth of innovative solutions from selected EDIHs in the construction sector.
• Project INTEGRATES – strengthening the pathway from project results to ecosystem uptake.
• Strengthening synergies between digital collaboration platforms and the Digital Product Passport (DPP) to enhance integration, data exchange and ecosystem-wide uptake.

The day continued with insights into upcoming EU work programmes, helping participants to position themselves strategically for future funding and cooperation opportunities.

Celebrating B4PICs advancement within the network

A key highlight of the event was the signing ceremony of the Built4People Charter by two B4PICs; SYXIS and Construction City Cluster, marking an important step in strengthening the network and formalising their commitment to shared objectives as ‘Emerging’ B4PICs. You can read a full summary of the cluster charter signing here.

Overall, the meeting clearly demonstrated the shared ambition of Europe’s digital and construction communities: moving from exchange to structured cooperation, and from ideas to implementation.