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A Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) is defined by Crupi et al. (2020) as a one-stop shopS that can help companies use digital technologies to become more competitive in their business/production processes, products and product development (Chaochotechuang et al., 2015), or services. The purpose of a DIH is to guarantee that all companies, whatever their size, can benefit from the advantages of new digital technologies (Pan-European Network of Digital Innovation Hubs, 2016) and, thereby, find the appropriate competence regarding digital technologies and IT, which, for Rüßmann (2015), is paramount for the manufacturing industry. DIH are by essence strongly associated to network of partners (and, de facto, partner selection) (Pongsathornwiwat et al., 2017), and it is essential for DIH to set up the most efficient tools as possible to support the market in discovering digital information (technological, business, or even scientific) in an accurate and prompt manner since both are essential for the existence of the company (e.g., in the consumer-centric open innovation framework for food and packaging manufacturing (Tsimiklis et al., 2015). Moreover, as already observed, DIH are especially of utmost importance when they are encouraging and sustaining cooperation (Sassanelli et al., 2022) in cutting-edge technological domains like the cyber-physical system (Gunes et al., 2014; Jamaludin & Rohani, 2018).
In this context, an ontological representation of a DIH4CPS may be perceived as a contribution with high impact since it offers an “explicit specifications of (DIH4CPS) conceptualizations” and, as a result contribute to sustaining the networking environment in which DIH behaves (Guarino et al., 2009). Unfortunately, to our knowledge such ontology for specifying the digital innovation hub surrounding the promotion, strengthening, cooperation, and co-development of CPS1 networks has never been developed. The problem with this absence is that it hinders effective communication, collaboration, and coordination among stakeholders within the hub. Without a standardized framework for capturing and representing the relevant concepts, relationships, and properties, there is a risk of ambiguity, inconsistency, and inefficiency in the interactions and activities within the digital innovation hub. This poses challenges in achieving seamless integration, interoperability, and progress in the development and advancement of CPS networks. Therefore, the real problem lies in the need to address this gap by developing a comprehensive ontology that can serve as a common language and structured framework for the digital innovation hub, facilitating effective communication, collaboration, and coordination among all stakeholders involved (Garetti et al., 2015).