ITI Data Cycle Hub

The  ITI Data Cycle Hub is the Reference Digital Innovation Hub in the Valencia Region to promote data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity based innovation. The objective is to close the gap between research and the industry, specifically SMEs, as well as the Public Administration, providing innovative solutions and services to make the best decisions regarding technological investments. It is an ecosystem composed of all the relevant agents and part of the AI Digital Innovation Hub Network. All the technologies covered by this DIH are around the DATA, from the Data Gathering to the visualization. In this sense, the DIH addresses Primarily Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, but also other key digital enabling technologies like Cyber Physical Systems, IoT, Cloud and High Performance Computing Platforms or Statistics Optimization.

The Valencia region has a privileged location that, together with the good living conditions it offers, makes it a territory with a strong capacity to attract population and economic activity. The region combines the most advanced and dynamic areas like Valencia city, which aim is to become a healthy, sustainable, shared and entrepreneurial city that creates missions that improves the life of people, Alicante, combining the tourism and also a dynamic an innovative ecosystem of companies and Castellon, with the world leader ceramics industry. The region has also a big power in food and agriculture (citrus, wine, …), traditional sectors (footwear, textile, toys, ceramics, furniture, metalmechanics, …), advanced sectors (automotive, equipment goods) and Health (being one of the most advanced region in health systems and biotechnology) or Tourism. Transport is also very important for the region, being an important hub with important ports like Valencia Port (the most important port for Container transport in the Mediterranean Sea), or the Alicante Airport, one of the most important airports in Spain.

Key Enabling Technologies are very well covered by the network of Technology Centres and configure a fantastic potential for innovation and evolution of economy and society.

DCH is an ecosystem composed of all the relevant agents in the region. Starting with ITI as a Technology centre and also the largest association of ICT companies in the region, REDIT, as the network of Technology Centres and all its members individually, which also are associations of companies; the Confederation of Valencian Companies; the Chamber of Commerce; the main Associations of industrial and Innovative Companies; Universities in the three provinces; Accelerators and the Regional Innovation Agencies.

Main infrastructures of ITI Data Cycle Hub are the Data Innovation Space and the DataRoom.

• Data Innovation Space: Common infrastructure that facilitates a safe and reliable environment for the development of projects that require Big Data, IA and HPC. Access to open and private data sources that allow realistic simulations is also facilitated and the dissemination of knowledge and good practices that promote the use of enabling technologies (HTNE) is encouraged. It has been awarded with the European BDVA i-Space Silver label (http://www.bdva.eu/BDVA_labelled_i-spaces). This infrastructure consists of: cluster with 400+ CPUs, 4+ TB RAM and huge storage capabilities, OpenStack for software virtualization, Cloudera for Big Data Services, including the following tools: Spark for analysis (using R or Python above MLLib), Hadoop for distributing processing, NoSQL DB like Cassandra or HBase, and additional tools like Sqoop, Hive, Pig.
• DataRoom: R&D laboratory of data technologies for Industry 4.0 that facilitates the experimentation and pilot of technologies for digitalization and allows to show to the companies the impact of these technologies in the resolution of the key challenges of the Valencian Community industry. This experimentation laboratory represents a production line and its base is formed by modular stations with industrial equipment (robotic warehouse, pneumatic press, drill, robotic assembly cell) combined with an autonomous mobile robot (AGV) and connected to a MES system (Manufacturing Execution System).

The Services offered by the ITI Data Cycle Hub are:

• BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: We assist you in the creation and development of your company: access to basic and specialized infrastructures, share innovation spaces and receive advice when you need it.
  • ACCESS TO BASIC AND SPECIALISED INFRASTRUCTURES: Access to basic physical infrastructure (offices, meeting rooms, etc.) and to communications and video conferencing infrastructure.
  • BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Dedicated programs to assist entrepreneurs in the business development process.
    • Business diversification.
    • Supporting the creation of new businesses.
  • INNOVATION SPACES: Access to innovation spaces to encourage innovators and other members of the ecosystem to interact and share ideas. Access to co-working spaces.
  • MENTORING / SUPPORT: Business, tax and legal advice when necessary.
  • SUPPORT FOR INNOVATIVE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT
• FINANCING: we accompany you in the development of your proposal and the feasibility study of your project, we help you to connect with funding sources and in the creation of consortiums for opportunities.
  • CONNECTION WITH FUNDING SOURCES: Facilitating access to different sources of funding (EU, national, regional and private) with the aim of achieving an effective mix of funds.
  • CREATION OF CONSORTIA: Support for the creation of groups to encourage cooperation and collaboration between organisations in order to exploit common opportunities (e.g. business, research, funding, open innovation, etc.). Promotion of inter-enterprise cooperation.
  • PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT: Technical assistance in the process of developing proposals to meet specific requirements and secure funding for the project. Promotion of inter-enterprise cooperation in joint projects
  • FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS / PRE-COMPETITIVE R&D: Feasibility study for participation in collaborative R&D projects to support the transformation of innovative ideas into demonstrable concepts.
• STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT: We help you to define the strategy of your project, to connect with companies that can make it happen, to manage the necessary talent and to be informed about the trends of your market.
  • INTERMEDIATION / BROKERING: Interconnection of supplier companies, customers, business support services, funding sources, technological institutes and academic institutions taking advantage of existing networks of which DCH partners are members (SEIMED, AEIs, etc.)
  • TALENT MANAGEMENT: Atracción y retención del talento en la CV. Bolsa de empleo.
  • OBSERVATORY OF TRENDS: Updated information on market trends and evaluation of the market potential of new products and services by validating business models.
  • STRATEGY DEFINITION AND VISION DEVELOPMENT: Support in the definition of their vision and strategy, both for new companies, as well as for SMEs and large corporations that require new ideas to remain relevant and competitive in the market
• TECHNICAL SUPPORT: Technical Support that will allow you to validate and scale new products or services, design and prototyping, development of demos for sale or assistance in testing and project validation.
  • PROTOTYPING: Prototype design to explore emerging ideas and technologies before going into production, also considering potential opportunities offered by small series production
  • PRODUCT DEMONSTRATION: Product workshops in front of potential customers.
  • CONCEPT VALIDATION: Development of minimum viable products that can be validated with real customers and/or in an industrially relevant environment.
  • PROOF OF CONCEPT: Development of minimum viable products that can be validated with real customers and/or in an industrially relevant environment.
  • PRODUCT VALIDATION: Support in the certification of performance tests and quality control.
• TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT (R+D+I): Everything you need for the design and implementation of your project at the technological level: specialized advice, diagnostics, infrastructure, datasets or even specific R&D.
  • ACCESS TO DATASETS: That facilitate experimentation.
  • AGENDA OF CHALLENGES: To be able to solve them through the DCH. Form that allows companies or entities to send challenges, problems and needs to the DCH.
  • FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS / PRE-COMPETITIVE R&D: Technological feasibility study for participation in collaborative R&D projects to support the transformation of innovative ideas into demonstrable concepts.
  • DIAGNOSIS FOR DIGITAL MATURITY: Assessment of the company’s readiness to adopt enabling technologies to face the digital challenges of the coming years.
  • DIAGNOSIS OF ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES: Systematic analysis of the organisational capacity of an emerging company or SME to adapt to change through assessments of the technological readiness of its products or services.
  • ACCESS TO INFRASTRUCTURES AND TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS: Provisión de infraestructura tecnológica como alquiler de equipos, acceso a plataformas tecnológicas, acceso a instalaciones de laboratorio, apoyo a la producción inicial de pocas unidades y acceso a computación de alta potencia.
  • TECHNOLOGY DETECTION AND SELECTION: Advice to companies looking for innovative technologies to incorporate into their portfolio.
  • SPECIALISED ADVICE: On legal and ethical aspects of ai and data management.
  • SPECIFIC R&D: Aplicación de innovación tecnológica para desarrollar nuevos productos y servicios o mejorar los existentes.
• TRAINNING: Access training to improve the skills and abilities of your team, both in the field of digital enabling technologies and in the business and entrepreneurship part.

ITI Data Cycle Hub originated in ITI Technology Centre. ITI is closely linked to IVACE (Valencian Institute for Business Competitiveness), and has been working with It in the RIS3CV strategy since the beginning, carrying the ICT secretariat out and working with all the ICT ecosystem. ITI developed the Industry 4.0 Agenda in the Valencia Region.

Activities of the ITI Data Cycle Hub are aligned with almost all ther RIS3CV areas, including Industry (working directly with the Industry 4.0 Lab with IVACE), Health, Tourism, Agrifood, Habitat and Cities, Transport, Energy (also working in Smart Grid Lab with IVACE), all them included in the RIS3CV priorities.

ITI is also working with the Valencian Agency for Innovation, creating a big alliance of Competence Centres in Enabling Technologies (TECH4CV) where the ITI Data Cycle Hub is a key element to coordinate all of them.