FORGING (Forum for Emerging Enabling Technologies in Support to the Digital and Green Transitions through Value Sensitive Innovations) is a Horizon Europe-funded initiative coordinated by INL (International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory). It aims to accelerate the responsible adoption of emerging enabling technologies in Europe by embedding value-sensitive innovation principles - ensuring that technological development respects societal values, environmental sustainability, and human-centric design, in line with the Industry 5.0 paradigm.
On the mission to systematically improve European leadership on responsible future enabling technologies FORGING works on achieving four specific objectives:
- Setting up a collaborative multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary forum
- Establish co-creation environments
- Identify responsible technologies from the early stages on
- Accelerate adoption of transformative solutions of enabling technologies by industry and society
The project responds to the transformative potential of technologies such as AI, cybersecurity, and digital twins and real-time simulations, bio-inspired technologies and smart materials, technologies for human machine interaction and technologies for energy efficiency, recognizing that their successful integration into society requires more than technical excellence of individual technologies or complex solutions involving several of the novel technologies.
For innovation to generate real value, certain barriers need to be overcome, such as societal resistance and industry inertia, that can hinder the adoption of new innovative solutions. Societal resistance often stems from fear of change, lack of awareness, or mistrust in new technologies, leading to reluctance among consumers, communities, or regulators. Meanwhile, industry inertia arises from established business models, sunk costs, and rigid organizational cultures that favour maintaining the status quo over risking disruption. Therefore, to foster trust and societal acceptance, it is crucial to align technology-driven innovation with human values. In response to this challenge, FORGING has built a multi-layered, multistakeholder approach that engages the full spectrum of the quadruple helix: academia, industry, civil society, and the public sector.
FORGING proposes a multi-phase methodology involving the quadruple helix in:
Technological uncovering: Identifying early signals of emerging technologies.
Societal confluence: Exploring desirability and societal as well as environmental impact of the technologies or solutions based on those technologies.
Full-fledged co-creation: Engaging a broad community of stakeholders to develop societally and environmentally responsible use cases for emerging enabling technologies.
Central to FORGING project is the FORGING FORUM, a diverse community of over 500 stakeholders from academia (including liberal arts and social sciences), industry, policy, and civil society – quadruple helix. Through co-creation sessions, scenario workshops, and innovation campaigns, the project fosters collaborative exploration of how technologies can be aligned with ethical, social, and environmental priorities.
FORGING also delivers practical tools such as the FORGING Playbook and Toolbox, which provide guidance for technology developers to integrate value-sensitive practices from the outset. These resources support the usability and replicability of FORGING’s approach beyond the project’s lifespan. Ultimately, FORGING seeks to shape a European research and innovation agenda that promotes human-centric, sustainable, and resilient industrial systems, contributing to the EU’s digital and green transitions. The project culminates in a Whitepaper to inform policy, guide funding priorities, and inspire future collaborations.
