The GREENE 4.0 project has been successfully completed after three years of collaboration, leaving behind practical tools, stronger partnerships and a lasting innovation ecosystem to support the green and digital transformation of manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Central Europe.

Through the project, partners from seven countries worked together to connect manufacturing companies with technology providers, research organizations, innovation agencies, public institutions and investors. Through this collaboration, GREENE 4.0 helped bridge the gap between innovative solutions and their practical use in production.

What was the project about?

The manufacturing sector in Central Europe was facing disrupted global supply chains and growing pressure from the green transformation to create more sustainable and smarter value chains. While innovative solutions already existed on the market, there was a large gap in their real-world deployment in existing manufacturing operations – and many SMEs in Central Europe lacked the tools, collaboration and strategic direction needed to digitize and transition to more sustainable production. This is what GREENE 4.0 sought to change through transnational collaboration, shared infrastructure and open innovation.

International cooperation of seven countries

The project was implemented under the Interreg Central Europe programme. The main partner was the Slovenian Pomurje Technology Park, and eight partner organisations also participated in the project: ICUK – Innovation Centre of the Ústí nad Labem Region and Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem (Czech Republic), Bautzen Innovation Centre (Germany), FH Kufstein Tirol – University of Applied Sciences (Austria), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), Consorzio Intellimech (Italy), Krakowski Park Technologiczny (Poland) and HEDA Public Benefit Nonprofit Ltd. (Hungary).

The target group was mainly manufacturing companies - startups, small, medium and large enterprises - from sectors such as electronics, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, metal manufacturing, plastics and rubber, mechanical engineering or building materials and furniture.

How the project progressed

Companies first assessed their digital and green maturity using the User Acceptance Model. They were then connected with technology providers through pilot activities to co-develop and test solutions tailored to their needs. The B2GreenHub platform facilitated the collaboration, while the Policy Learning Centre helped regions set policies to sustain and scale up the project’s impact.

Key project results

The main outputs of GREENE 4.0 include:

• B2GreenHub platform – a transnational digital platform connecting manufacturing companies, technology providers, experts, research organizations and innovation support organizations; offering mapping and matching of actors, marketplaces of services, technologies and infrastructure, open innovation tools, training resources as well as case studies and networking functions,
• User Acceptance Model – a practical self-assessment tool that helps companies find out where they are on the digital and green maturity scale and plan their next steps,
• Transnational Open Knowledge Box – an interactive digital toolkit integrated into the B2GreenHub, which brings together open innovation tools, an innovation map, training programs and an investment readiness tool,
• regional action plans and transnational strategies for the deployment of the B2GreenHub platform in individual regions,
• transnational memorandum of understanding, which ensures the continuation of cooperation between partners even after the end of the project,
• a number of innovation programs and pilot activities that allowed companies to test and implement new technologies.

More than 130 companies participated in training and innovation activities, and new smart and green manufacturing value chains were piloted within seven manufacturing sector clusters.

The impact of the project continues

Although the project has been formally completed, its results remain available to companies. Thanks to a transnational Memorandum of Understanding, the partners have committed to continue their cooperation even after the project ends. The B2GreenHub ecosystem, project methodologies, training programs and regional strategies will continue to support manufacturing SMEs, strengthen cross-border cooperation and contribute to greener, smarter and more resilient industries in Central Europe even after the project ends.

ICUK would like to thank all project partners, stakeholders and participating organizations for their valuable contribution to the successful implementation of the GREENE 4.0 project and its lasting impact.