Project overview
Smart and green innovation approaches for scaling up digital transformation opportunities in CE
The manufacturing industry in central Europe is challenged by change. Global supply chains are increasingly disrupted and the green transition demands more sustainable, smarter value chains. The GREENE 4.0 project supported manufacturing companies in piloting such new value chains. The project also helped to co-design new products and services through open innovation approaches. In these they brought together the business sector with the education and research sectors and decision makers.
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2,25m €
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Project Budget
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80%
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of the Budget is funded by ERDF
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7
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Countries
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8
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Regions
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9
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Partners
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2
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Pilots
Duration
Start date
End date
Project progress
About the project
The GREENE 4.0 project supported the green and digital transformation of manufacturing SMEs across Central Europe by strengthening innovation capacities, fostering cross-border collaboration, and connecting manufacturers with technology providers, research organisations, innovation agencies, public authorities, and investors. Its objective was to help manufacturing companies adopt smarter, more sustainable production practices while building resilient industrial value chains.
The project delivered practical tools and services to accelerate this transition, including the B2GreenHub platform, the User Acceptance Model, the Transnational Open Knowledge Box, Innovation Programmes, and pilot environments where SMEs and technology providers co-developed and tested innovative solutions. More than 130 companies participated in training and innovation activities, while new smart and green value chains were piloted across seven manufacturing sectoral clusters.
As a result, manufacturing SMEs in Central Europe gained improved access to innovation support, expertise, pilot facilities, international partnerships, and investment opportunities. The project also strengthened regional cooperation through joint strategies, action plans, and a long-term innovation ecosystem that continues to support greener, smarter, and more resilient manufacturing beyond the project's completion.
Project partnership
Project partners
Lead partner
Pomurje Technology Pak
Project partner
Total partner budget
299,040 €
Total partner budget
291,984 €
Faculty of Social Sciences
Total partner budget
209,916 €
Faculty of Social and Economic Studies
Total partner budget
193,200 €
Total partner budget
195,720 €
Total partner budget
275,240 €
Total partner budget
271,740 €
Total partner budget
196,140 €
Roadmap
1
Challenge: Barriers to Green and Digital Transition
The GREENE 4.0 project addressed the challenges faced by regions with intensive manufacturing ecosystems that were under increasing pressure from global disruptions. Broken supply and value chains had negatively impacted production processes, product quality, and product design. While innovative solutions were already available, a significant gap remained in deploying these developments within existing manufacturing operations. At the same time, many SMEs in Central Europe lacked the tools, collaborations, and strategic direction needed to embrace digitalisation and transition towards more sustainable and resilient forms of production.
Through its activities, the GREENE 4.0 project supported SMEs in overcoming these barriers by fostering collaboration, promoting the adoption of advanced manufacturing solutions, and strengthening the transition towards more digital, sustainable, and resilient industrial ecosystems.
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Idea: Enabling the Transformation
Attractive young woman with clipboard in hands giving tour of modern factory to confident senior businessman in suit
The project aimed to overcome barriers to digital and green transformation in the manufacturing industry by strengthening the innovation capacities of SMEs. Through transnational collaboration, shared infrastructures, and open innovation, it helped bridge the gap between manufacturers and solution providers, enabling the co-development of sustainable products, services, and value chains.
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Solution: Pathways to Sustainable Manufacturing
group of business people assembling jigsaw puzzle. The concept of cooperation, teamwork, help and support in business.
Addressing the low innovation capacity of manufacturing SMEs across Central Europe (Slovenia, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Italy, and Germany), the project supported their transition towards smart and sustainable production through four key approaches: the User Acceptance Model (UAM), Transnational Digital Transformation Sites, the B2GreenHub Platform, and the Innovation Ecosystem & Policy Learning Centre.
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How it worked: Turning Readiness into Action
Businessman and businesswoman talking in a modern factory hall
SMEs began by assessing their digital and green maturity using the User Acceptance Model. They were then connected with technology providers through pilot actions, where they co-developed and tested innovative solutions tailored to their needs. The B2GreenHub platform facilitated these collaborations, while the Policy Learning Centre supported regions in adopting policies that could help scale and sustain the project’s impact.
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Results: Adoption & Lasting Impact
business team people planning and discussing on recycle reduce reuse policy symbol in office meeting room. Green business company and Solar Energy Environment city Concept.
The project resulted in the adoption of joint strategies and action plans by participating organisations, fostering a long-term commitment to innovation. Several solutions developed during the project were adopted or further scaled by SMEs. Importantly, the cross-border cooperation established through GREENE 4.0 continues beyond the project’s lifetime, strengthening regional collaboration and creating lasting impact.
News
Events
Pilot actions
Outputs
Business leader giving a presentation to his team and explaining project plans on whiteboard in the office.
Transnational Strategy for Deploying GREENE 4.0 Innovation Platform
The Transnational Strategy provides a shared framework for deploying the B2GreenHub platform across Central Europe to support the green and digital transformation of manufacturing SMEs. It outlines how the platform connects businesses, research organisations, education providers and public authorities, strengthening cross-border cooperation and enabling the development of smart and green products and new value chains.
Based on stakeholder input collected across partner regions, the strategy identifies key barriers, stakeholder needs and strategic priorities for the green and digital transition. It defines the platform’s objectives, key features and implementation approach to support its coordinated deployment across Central Europe.
By improving access to knowledge, digital tools, innovation services and transnational partnerships, the strategy helps strengthen regional innovation capacity, accelerate the adoption of Industry 4.0 and sustainable practices, and support long-term collaboration across partner regions.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
Action plan text visible behind a torn office paper.
Regional Action Plans
The Regional Action Plans translate the Transnational Strategy into concrete regional actions for deploying the GREENE 4.0 / B2GreenHub platform. They provide an operational framework that defines the main activities, actions and tasks required to implement, test, transfer and replicate the platform across the partner regions.
As key implementation instruments of the Transnational Strategy, the action plans support the deployment of the platform’s capabilities, services and tools within regional innovation ecosystems while contributing to a shared Central European innovation ecosystem. They provide a coordinated approach for putting the strategy into practice and supporting cross-border cooperation, knowledge transfer and value chain integration.
By guiding the practical implementation of the B2GreenHub platform at regional level, the Regional Action Plans help turn the project's strategic vision into operational actions, supporting the green and digital transformation of manufacturing SMEs.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
Happy business women working together online on a digital tablet in front of young team at the office
Transnational Open Knowledge Box
The Transnational Open Knowledge Box is an interactive digital toolkit integrated into the B2GreenHub platform, designed to support companies and innovation ecosystem actors in their green and digital transformation. It brings together open innovation tools, an innovation map, training programmes and an investment readiness tool, providing practical resources in a single, accessible environment.
The toolkit combines practical tools, structured training modules and knowledge-sharing features that connect users with experts, technology providers and innovation infrastructure across the B2GreenHub ecosystem. It supports business modelling, sustainability, open innovation and investment readiness while facilitating collaboration and knowledge exchange.
By improving access to knowledge, practical tools and expert networks, the Transnational Open Knowledge Box helps companies, particularly SMEs, strengthen their innovation capabilities and supports the wider adoption of smart and sustainable manufacturing practices.
Type of output: Solutions
Cropped image of male holding touch pad downloading media file via application, unrecognizable man using digital tablet browsing web page via 4G internet connection share content publication for blog
GREENE 4.0 Innovation Platform - B2GreenHub
The GREENE 4.0 Innovation Platform (B2GreenHub) is a transnational digital platform that brings together manufacturing companies, technology providers, experts, research organisations and innovation support organisations. It provides access to innovation services, practical tools, training programmes, funding support resources and collaboration opportunities that support the green and digital transformation of manufacturing.
The platform combines stakeholder mapping and matchmaking, a marketplace of services, technologies and infrastructure, open innovation tools, training resources, use cases, success stories and networking features. It helps users discover relevant expertise, identify collaboration opportunities and develop innovative solutions and new value chains across regions.
By integrating knowledge, services and innovation resources into a single platform, B2GreenHub improves access to expertise, strengthens transnational cooperation and supports the wider adoption of smart and sustainable manufacturing practices across Central Europe.
Type of output: Solutions
Professional engineer team are checking and control automation robot arms machine in intelligent industrial factory, Monitoring software system of robotics welding and digital manufacturing operation.
User Acceptance Model
The User Acceptance Model is a practical self-assessment framework that helps manufacturing SMEs evaluate their digital and green maturity. It enables companies to identify their current position, recognise priority areas for improvement and define the next steps in their green and digital transition.
The model combines a structured questionnaire, assessment guidelines and a four-point maturity scale covering key business processes from both digital and green perspectives. Following the assessment, companies can reflect on their results, develop concrete action plans and connect with relevant GREENE 4.0 services and tools.
By providing a clear and systematic assessment process, the User Acceptance Model helps manufacturing SMEs better understand their strengths, gaps and opportunities and develop a roadmap for further improvement.
Type of output: Solutions
Multicultural warehouse staff creates logistical atmosphere that encourages empowerment, confidence. The collaborative and diverse team results in excellent performance and a strong sense of unity.
Smart and Green Manufacturing New Value Chains Models
This output brings together the pilot activities carried out within GREENE 4.0 to validate digital and green solutions and demonstrate new value chain models in real manufacturing environments. Through collaboration between manufacturing SMEs, technology providers and innovation support organisations, innovative solutions were developed, tested and refined in response to real business challenges.
The pilots followed a transnational co-creation approach, combining needs assessment, matchmaking, solution deployment and real-life validation. By testing solutions in operational environments, companies were able to evaluate their practical applicability while generating knowledge that can support wider adoption across regions and sectors.
The validated solutions and value chain models demonstrate how collaboration between supply and demand actors can accelerate innovation uptake, strengthen cross-border cooperation and support the green and digital transformation of manufacturing SMEs across Central Europe.
Type of output: Solutions
Project videos
Project documents
Greene 4.0 Newsletters
Greene 4.0 1st Newsletter
In this edition: Join the Greene 4.0 Transnational Conference on September 5, 2024 in Portorož! Get to know UAM to help SMEs adopt sustainable practices. Learn more about B2GreenHub, our initiative to support companies in their green and digital transformation.
Greene 4.0 2nd Newsletter
In this edition: How green and digital transformation is perceived by entrepreneurs from seven European countries; a step-by-step approach to help companies tackle green and digital challenges.
Greene 4.0 3rd Newsletter
In this edition: Discover the benefits of the circular economy, from boosting resilience and customer loyalty to reducing environmental impact and supporting SMEs.
Greene 4.0 4th Newsletter
In this edition: explore how innovation strengthens resilience through adaptability, employee engagement, and sustainability.
Greene 4.0 5th Newsletter
In this edition: discover how the User Acceptance Model (UAM) is reshaping the way SMEs embrace innovation and sustainability.
Greene 4.0 6th Newsletter
In this edition: explore impactful initiatives leading the way in packaging, energy, and manufacturing
Greene 4.0 7th Newsletter
In this edition: explore CSRD (The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive)
Greene 4.0 8th Newsletter
In this edition: smart manufacturing for SMEs: digital twins and practical alternatives
Greene 4.0 9th Newsletter
In this edition: The 4 pitfalls that stop sustainability strategies from succeeding – and how SMEs can avoid them
Greene 4.0 10th Newsletter
In this edition: Investor types for green manufacturing: choosing capital that supports sustainability
Greene 4.0 11th Newsletter
In this edition: Open manufacturing: sharing tools, sharing know-how
Greene 4.0 12th Newsletter
In this edition: From ideas to impact: the power of innova on contests in sustainability
Greene 4.0 13th Newsletter
In this edition: Greening the supply chain: how SMEs can drive sustainable procurement
Greene 4.0 14th Newsletter
In this edition: Greening the supply chain: B2GreenHub is live – your green & digital hub
Greene 4.0 15th Newsletter
In this edition: Keeping sustainability operational: a lightweight dashboard idea
Greene 4.0 16th Newsletter
In this edition: Six sustainability myths in manufacturing — and what to do instead
Greene 4.0 17th Newsletter
In this edition: Greene 4.0: a journey of discovery, collaboration and transformation
Project images
GREENE 4.0
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Project contact
Maja Sušec - Pomurje Technology Park
Email: maja@p-tech.si