Boosting Resilience In five industrial ecosystems through adoption and Deployment of advanced technoloGiEs among SMEs

Project Information

BRIDGESMEs

Grant agreement ID: 101138897

DOI

10.3030/101138897

EC signature date 6 November 2023

Start date 1 December 2023

End date 30 April 2027

Funded under

• Digital, Industry and Space

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 2 487 491,25

Coordinated by

INIZIATIVA CUBE SRL
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BRIDGESMEs (Boosting Resilience In five industrial ecosystems through adoption and Deployment of advanced technoloGiEs among SMEs)

Reporting period: 2023-12-01 to 2025-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In line with the emergence of Industry 5.0 the BRIDGESMEs project aims to support European SMEs from 5 industrial ecosystems in adapting their business models to become more resilient, sustainable and human-centric.
Through strategic interventions, hackathons and dedicated matchmaking events, BRIDGESMEs will foster the deployment of innovative solutions among European SMEs.
The project enhances resilience by identifying disruptions and challenges, equipping SMEs against future shocks and improving supply chain stability. Partners will encourage the adoption of sustainable production methods and resource-efficient technologies will contribute to environmental sustainability. Both impacts can be achieved by strengthening technology uptake, supporting SMEs in integrating advanced digital solutions to increase their competitiveness and drive innovation. At the same time, tech-savvy SMEs and start-ups will be supported in approaching new markets, partners and potential clients.
In parallel, the project will provide tailored business and technological support, and develop dedicated training modules to tackle pre-identified skills gaps.
By the conclusion of the project, BRIDGESMEs will not only have supported the building of 30 alliances between SMEs oriented towards the uptake of advanced technological solutions, but also have established a blueprint for the successful transformation of SMEs, demonstrating tangible pathways towards Industry 5.0 adoption.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The BRIDGESMEs' work performed and main achievements so far are:

1) Completion of the Report on the FIve Industrial Ecosystems Needs Assessment
SWOT analysis of the industrial ecosystems involved with particular attention at the value chain, analysing the main needs of the SMEs in these ecosystems in terms of advanced technologies adoption and under the perspective of I5.0. Data was gathered with a view towards (1) determining the current situation in advanced technologies adoption, (2) identifying gaps between what SMEs are able to do with advanced technologies and what they want/need to be able to do, (3) identifying the challenges, type of skills needed to adopt advanced technologies, (4) identifying critical dependencies in their value chains.
The outcome has provided a base for the project to build on for all other tasks, mapping the needs and statuses of the various ecosystems covered by the project in order to increase SMEs’ operational independence and Industry 5.0 readiness. The needs assessment was carried out in 6 steps: (1) Define the scope of needs assessment; (2) Identify the assessment criteria; (3) Plan for data collection; (4) Collect, analyse and present data; (5) Apply the criteria and prioritise needs; (6) Identify next steps and report back.

2) Successful completion of the 2 Calls for Expression of Interest for SMEs (tech-savvy and pilot/traditional)

3) Development of a catalogue of technological and business support services for SMEs Industry 5.0 transformation
The catalogue is the first step of WP2, whose main objective is to provide a comprehensive assistance package to European SMEs participating in the BRIDGESMEs project.
The support package includes three main pillars:
• Technological Services: support in integrating advanced technologies to improve efficiency and sustainability.
• Business and Financial Support: guidance in adapting business models and securing investment.
• Targeted Training: capacity-building programs tailored to traditional SMEs and tech-savvy SMEs.
The project’s Research and Technology Organisation (RTO) partners will address 6 key technological areas: digitalization, robotics, photonics, extended reality, big data & AI, and advanced manufacturing. The support will include conducting individual technological assessments to identify barriers and opportunities for SMEs, offering access to cutting-edge facilities (fab-labs, pilot lines, testbeds) where SMEs can explore technologies through hands-on demonstrations, and co-creating tailored roadmaps to help SMEs implement Industry 5.0 solutions in a practical, scalable way.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

At the time of writing - with the business and technological support services beginning, hackathons still being organised, matchmaking events yet to occurr and the roundtables on cluster support to SMEs' industrial transition foreseen later in 2025 - the results beyond the state of the art regard the rigorous SWOT analysis of technology uptake in five industrial ecosystems. Unlike previous studies, which often focused on isolated technological advancements, this research provides a holistic assessment of value chains, emphasizing the interplay between traditional SMEs and tech-savvy SMEs/start-ups. Key contributions beyond the state of the art include a comprehensive value chain analysis: the study goes beyond assessing individual company needs and maps interdependencies within industrial value chains, identifying bottlenecks, risks, and critical dependencies that hinder transition towards I5.0.
Further, while existing frameworks predominantly prioritize technological solutions, the BRIDGESMEs study uniquely incorporates Industry 5.0 balancing technology uptake with workforce development and environmental responsibility.
Finally, having gathered empirical data from almost 90 SMEs and cluster organizations representing hundreds more companies, our research relies on a robust and reliable dataset.

As far as the potential impact goes, we believe that the findings from the study lay the foundation for transformative actions within European SMEs and industrial clusters. By identifying critical dependencies and challenges in value chains, the study allows for structured action at consortium level to support SMEs in developing risk mitigation strategies, reducing vulnerabilities to supply chain disruptions and economic shocks. It will also contribute to the development of roadmaps among the project's beneficiaries for bridging the gap between technological capability and implementation, ensuring SMEs can effectively transition to Industry 5.0 principles.
By mapping the specific needs and barriers faced by SMEs, the study can inform policy recommendations and funding strategies, ensuring investments are directed where they have the highest impact, also highlighting the existing specific skill gaps hindering technology adoption, which in turn can enable targeted training programs (within BRIDGESMEs) and workforce reskilling initiatives.