Good practices and action plans to help European SMEs exploit the potential of Industry 4.0

The SMARTY interregional cooperation project, promoted by 14 partners from seven European regions, improves the implementation of regional policies and programmes aimed at increasing the adoption of Industry 4.0 solutions and technologies by small and medium-sized enterprises.

The SMARTY project of the Interref Europe programme, launched in 2019 by 14 organisations from seven European regions (including Castile-Leon and Catalonia), has identified a total of 26 good practices that support SMEs in adopting Industry 4.0 solutions. To achieve its objective, the project focuses on regional policies and programmes related to the Structural Funds, developing and implementing action plans based on lessons learned from the exchange of good practices between regions.

Trough a methodology based on different learning activities (thematic seminars and interregional brockerage events), have been identified, analysed and shared initiatives from each of the seven participating regions with the potential to support industrial ecosystem innovation processes in other regions. For the selection process of these initiatives, each region evaluated the impact achieved and the trajectory of the good practices presented, their transferability between regions and the relevance of their potential implementation in them.

This process has culminated in the selection of 26 good practices around four main themes: Regional platforms and clusters to support SMEs in adopting Industry 4.0-related technologies and increasing their competitiveness; Digital Innovation Hubs to support the digital transformation of SMEs; Digitization for ecological transition and sustainability; and Digital innovation and skills in Industry 4.0. All these good practices are published in the Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform.

Actions plans for the transfer of good practice between regions

After identifying good practices, the SMARTY consortium member organisations, together with stakeholders and regional managing authorities involved in the project, have developed corresponding action plans to implement improvements in policy instruments aimed at facilitating the transition to Industry 4.0, based on lessons learned throughout the project. These regional action plans, available on the SMARTY website, are being implemented by the project consortium between the fourth quarter of 2022 and the third quarter of 2023.

SMARTY is co-financied by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the umbrella of the European Union's Interreg Europe programme with around EUR 2 million (EUR 2.42 million total budget). It runs for a period of four years and began on August 1, 2019. The Generalitat of Catalonia, the i2CAT Foundation, ICAMCyL and the Institute for Business Competitiveness (ICE) of Castilla y León are part of the consortium, together with organizations from Tuscany (Italy), Mazovia (Poland), Lapland (Finland), Leeds City Region (UK) and Slovenia.

Contact

Iván Rodríguez

SMARTY Communications Manager

i2CAT Foundation

Gran Capità, 2-4 Nexus I Building, 2nd Floor

08034 Barcelona (Spain)

Tel. +34 93 553 25 10

E-mail: ivan.rodriguez@i2cat.net