© MecaTech
The sectors: - Renewable energy communities - Medical devices - Defence & security - The circularity of plastics - Connected and sustainable mobility. The IOT4INDUSTRY project is funded by the European Commission under the HORIZON 2020 INNOSUP 1 call. Wallonia is represented through the MecaTech cluster. This project enables the financing and implementation of 40 European prototypes and demonstrators, integrating IoT, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity in the tools and means of production of European industrial companies wishing to digitise their processes. The project brings together leading European partners in several strategic industrial sectors (automotive, aerospace, medical, energy, robotics, etc.). In 2019, the cluster has provided significant support to Walloon project leaders interested in this project. This work has paid off, since the Walloons are present in 7 projects, representing 15 companies in our ecosystem!
How can the competitiveness cluster help its members on the international level? The cluster offers its members : • To connect with the best European industrial ecosystems and to integrate new value chains. • To access funding to set up their international innovation projects, • To increase the valorisation and visibility of their existing collaborative projects. • Access to market research & technology watch (industrial members only). The MecaTech cluster is working with AWEX to attract foreign investment to Wallonia and is contributing to the development of an ambitious European strategy for Wallonia.
The 7 projects represent €515,000 in funding for the Walloon ecosystem (14% of the total available budget). Beyond the funding, this is above all an opportunity for Walloon companies to internationalise, as they will co-develop their project with one or more European partners. This is a real win-win for the partners to integrate their respective value chains.
What about the MecaTech Cluster and Industry 4.0 ? Industry 4.0 is a key technological step that Wallonia must seize as an industrial redeployment opportunity. The MecaTech Competitiveness Cluster embarked on this path several years ago by financing several R&D projects as part of the region’s competitiveness clusters policy. 143
