ATLAS’ concept to establish sustainable ecosystems based on innovative data-driven services is the build-up of so-called Innovation Hubs: A network of end-users, service providers, researchers and policy makers along the agricultural value chain.
The innovation hubs are geographically located at the project’s pilot studies locations; hence each innovation hub has initially a dedicated topic-specific focus.
However, the range of topics worked on within an Innovation Hub is not restricted to this specific focus.
It is envisioned the establishment of special interest groups for arbitrary topics related to digital agriculture if the network’s participants see an advantage of this.
The innovation hubs provide a place to meet and inform. Located at the pilot studies test sites, the Innovation Hubs provide the necessary environment to demonstrate new technology in a real-world operational environment. The Innovation Hubs will be initially established with the members of the consortium as founding members, contributing with the developments conducted within ATLAS to the network’s portfolio. Relevant stakeholders will be invited to the Innovation Hubs to receive technology demonstrations around the ATLAS platform and information on the opportunities the platform offers.
ATLAS foresees the contribution with new services and technologies of small innovative companies and farms to the Innovation Hubs. This will be enabled by allocating funding to these companies and farms through two open calls which will be installed during the project’s runtime.
This initial funding will provide the seed funding for small companies. start-ups and farmers, enabling the build-up of long-lasting and sustainable business relations between the service providers and end-users. It shall also enable technophile farmers to realize innovative ideas on through a farmer for farmers’ approach, which usually has a high chance of success.
All Innovation Hubs will be interconnected under the umbrella of the ATLAS project. A dedicated innovation hub portal will be established where information, knowledge and data from the different Innovation Hubs can be exchanged.
At specific pilot sites in 5 European countries, an Innovation Hub will be established to focus on a specific topic of the use cases. Each Innovation Hub deals as a meeting platform for stakeholders around ATLAS in the dedicated region. Regular meetings will be used to invite representatives of new potential service providers giving the opportunity to connect to ATLAS. Target groups will be invited through the local network to increase inputs to the ATLAS project.
