The overall objective of the project is to boost green and digital transition of European manufacturing SMEs through the uptake of advanced technologies and social innovation. To that end, MANTRA will create and demonstrate an effective and highly scalable European-wide capacity building and demonstration programme to provide SMEs with the required assistance, network of partners and experts, and financial support to elaborate and implement tailored transformation journeys leading to sustainable business models and, more competitive and resilience SMEs. This innovation support ecosystem will be built on the capacities of a strong consortium and of available EU support networks and SME support initiatives.

DIGI-B-CUBE project aims to unlock the cross-sectoral collaborative potential of SMEs by combining Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cognitive Computing Digital Technologies (CCDT) with the Bioimaging-Biosensing-Biobanking (B-CUBE) and realted industries to deliver market sensitive disruptive technologies and generating innovative solutions that enhance patient-centred diagnostic work-flows, delivered through the improved algorithms for Medical Diagnostics’ efficiency and accuracy. DIGI-B-CUBE will study the characteristics in market dynamics & specificities for innovations created by merging AI, CCDT & B-CUBE and realted industries. By providing a framework for a more structured cross-sectoral and cross-border collaboration, that manages all the complex work-flows within the process, DIGI-B-CUBE instantiates the mechanisms to ensure the long-term sustainability of the action through collaborations of the participating clusters with hospitals, academia, industry, investors, business angels, managing authorities of the national innovation agencies and the European Commission support measures (such as EIT, ESIF). The main objective of this project is to provide key digital solutions for the reconfiguration of the Medical Diagnostics and related value chains towards a Health Economy 4.0 with a special focus on Biobanking, Bioimaging and Biosensing and realted industries. Activities financed by the ESIF in the participating regions as part of the Smart Specialisation Strategies will be bundled in cooperation with the responsible managing authorities in addition to the innovation voucher scheme for SMEs. By integrating innovations in IT into Bioimaging, Biosensing and Biobanking and realted industries, this project will accelerate the goal of personalised medicine that can eventually offer patients with fast and efficient diagnosis-treatment-healthcare system.

Surface functionalisation is present in a wide range of sectors, improving the performance of multiple components and systems in many applications. However, when considering the application of such functionalisation in complex industrial parts, several challenges must be faced. The difficulty of reaching all surfaces of complex 3D parts is significative, especially in those with considerable size and weight. At the same time, uncertainty about the regulatory compliance of functionalised parts in some sectors makes a straightforward integration of this process more difficult. As a result, this limits the potential of some companies in terms of opening up new markets or attaining a competitive edge. Additionally, the creation of functional surfaces has traditionally relied on processes such as chemical reactions and/or the complete coating of the native surfaces (e.g. aerofoils). Due to their very nature, these processes generate unwanted by-products thereby leaving a significant environmental footprint, which go against the “do no significant harm” principle of The European Green Deal. In order to avoid these setbacks, a new functionalising process for complex 3D shaped parts in which the environmental footprint is reduced and where new guidelines are generated to complement the manufacturing standards of target sectors, could be a game changer. BILASURF aims at developing and integrating a process for high-rate laser functionalization of complex 3D surfaces using tailored designed bio inspired riblets to reduce friction and improve the environmental footprint of industrial parts, assuring a high throughput with the help of inline monitoring capabilities. This solution can provide European industry with a key tool to use a more efficient and environmentally friendly manufacturing process.