Irina Vescu

DITECFER - District for Rail Technologies, High Speed, Networks’ Safety & Security is an innovation-driven consortium based in Tuscany, Italy composed by 55 companies including: - companies working both in the segment of railway vehicles and components manufacturing and in the segment of technologies and installations for railway infrastructures; - academia and research organisations with specific competences for the railway field (from industry 4.0 manufacturing process to ICT-based systems, from mechatronics to development of new materials, etc.); - certification and homologation bodies for the railway sector; - industry associations of the railway sector. DITECFER supports its members in all research and innovation activities, acquisition of strategic know-how and business networking to grow the whole supply chain and open new international markets. In particular, the areas where DITECFER majorly operates are the following: - Business Development - Competitive Intelligence - Innovation Networking - International Development - Fairs and Missions - Calls for proposals and financing - Project building and coordination - Training, Empowerment and Education. DITECFER has developed a strong know-how in the internationalisation field through development of joint activities for the members (more than 35 fairs and missions organised so far) and also as Coordinator of many EU Projects (LEADER2030, STARS, S-ACCESS, EXXTRA, PERES) or partner (IDEALIST, E-BOOST). Also DITECFER is a member of the European Commission Expert Group on the Competitiveness of the Rail Supply Industry, where it mainly contributes to the topic of SMEs' market access.