Background information

The government knows that guiding entrepreneurs who want to innovate is considered essential. Therefore, entrepreneurs need to orient themselves among the main existing structures that support 4.0 technology transfer processes and, therefore, the need to map all these structures arises. All structures that support innovation in enterprises are mapped on Atlas.

Content of measure

Atlas i4.0 (Atlante i4.0) is the Italian national database providing information about 600 qualified actors dealing with innovation and digitalisation processes. The website displays the location of these structures on the national territory. The Atlas provides information on:

• 8 Competence Centers (CC) - the highly specialised Competence Centers;
• 263 Digital Innovation Hubs (DIH) and Digital Ecosystems for Innovation (EDI) of the trade associations;
• 88 Points Digital Enterprise (PID) of the Chambers of Commerce;
• 27 Technology Transfer Centers (CTT) certified by Unioncamere;
• 161 FabLABs for additive manufacturing;
• 38 Certified incubators for innovative startups;
• 104 Higher Technical Institutes (ITS).

The aim of the Atlas is to act as a single point of information for companies and business looking for help to digitalise their processes and be part of the industry 4.0 transformation. Further, to facilitate the meeting between supply and demand of highly specialised figures in advanced technologies, the digital Atlas also presents the mapping of all 104 Higher Technical Institutes (ITS) present in Italy. The information included in the Atlas is regularly updated to supply a reliable source of information to companies looking to adopt industry 4.0 technologies. The Atlas is funded by the Ministry of Economic Development. The information can be searched in two ways:

• with the map function, to locate actors close by;
• with the list function, to search by technology, activity sector and so on.

Use of measure

Atlas, launched in July 2020, also supplies information about the distibution of actors on the national territory. Half of the actors are located in the North of Italy. One out of 3 offers support for 3D printing services (additive manufacturing) but only 1% of those in the list can support the adoption of processes such as blockchain (9 actors) or AI (16 actors).

The Atlas consultation is free and open to all companies but is particularly addressed to SMEs which are the economic operators finding more barriers to adopt 4.0 technologies. In particular, the PIDs, created by the Chambers of Commerce, are among the actors who can accompany companies towards this delicate step. They have already helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs in adopting advanced technologies even in the most difficult moments. During the COVID-19 lockdown period, they created tutorials and webinars followed by more than 80,000 companies.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Trade unions	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Unknown

Views and reactions

Unknown

Sources

• 08 July 2020: Atlantei4.0 Il portale per la digitalizzazione delle imprese (www.atlantei40.it)
• 08 July 2020: Atlantei4.0 Guida alla consultazione delle strutture abilitate (www.atlantei40.it)
• 05 November 2022: Elenco Strutture (www.atlantei40.it)