DigiFABS: Enabling Digital Transformation for the Food and Beverage Sector
Innovation Value Institute (IVI) is a proud partner in the DigiFABS project, an EU-funded initiative under the Erasmus+ program designed to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food and beverage (F&B) processing sector. DigiFABS focuses on fostering digital transformation by equipping SMEs, educators, and students with the skills and tools needed to navigate the complexities of a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
The project unites a consortium of 14 partners from seven European countries to address diverse levels of digitalization and innovation across the F&B industry. Its key outcomes include the creation of multidisciplinary action-learning programs, innovative bootcamps, and practical toolkits that promote sustainable, green, and resilient practices. Through these initiatives, DigiFABS develops Responsible Dynamic Digital Change Agents (RDDCAs) who can drive meaningful transformation within their organizations and beyond.
Innovation Value Institute (IVI) plays a central role in the project by leading efforts in framework design, piloting training programs for students and SMEs in Ireland, and ensuring the dissemination of project findings to a broad audience. This partnership underscores Maynooth University’s commitment to advancing sustainable innovation and digitalization in collaboration with industry and academic leaders.
For more information, visit https://digifabs.eu/
About the researchers:
Professor Markus Helfert
Dr Zohreh Pourzolfaghar
Director of Innovation Value Institute
Professor Markus Helfert
Markus Helfert is the Director of IVI and Director of Empower – the SFI funded Programme on Data Governance. He is also Professor of Digital Service Innovation and Director of the Business Informatics Group at Maynooth University. He is a Principle Investigator at Lero – The Irish Software Research Centre and at the Adapt Research Centre. His research is centred on Digital Service Innovation, Smart Cities and IoT based Smart Environments and includes research areas such as Service Innovation, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Smart Services, Building Information Management, FinTech, Data Value, Enterprise Architecture, Technology Adoption, Analytics, Business Process Managem ent. Prof. Helfert is an expert in Data Governance Standards and is involved in European Standardisation initiatives. Markus Helfert has authored more than 200+ academic articles, journal and book contributions and has presented his work at international conferences. Helfert has received national and international grants from agencies such as European Union (FP7; H2020), Science Foundation Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, was project coordinator on EU projects, and is the Project coordinator of the H2020 Projects: PERFORM on Digital Retail.
Digital Construction Cluster Lead
Dr Zohreh Pourzolfaghar
Zohreh Pourzolfaghar is Assistant Professor for the School of Business in Maynooth University. She is a members of Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software. Zohreh formerly has been Research Fellow at Innovation Value Institute (IVI), Maynooth University’s digital transformation research centre. She is a senior research member of the Business Informatics Group. She is the theme lead in a project investigating the application of Enterprise Architecture in Smart Cities, funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). She has been Principle Investigator for an Industry Fellowship Programme, funded by SFI. Zohreh presented her work at international conferences and has published research in Journals and Conference Proceedings. Zohreh is also leading research within the Cost Action CA16222 (WISE-ACT), a European-wide network. She has been thematic lead in a successful European Marie Curie PERFORM project. She is a member of the supervisory board of the EU project PERFORM, that focuses on Digital Retail. She has been awarded the SFI industry fellowship (2018) working with industry on topics related to Smart Cities and Building Information Management. She is the Co-PI for submitted H202 Techland proposal. Zohreh received her Ph.D. in Project Management in design process of building projects. Zohreh has years of experience working with project-oriented construction companies to improve organisatioanal productivity and their work processes.
