On July 8, 2026, SustainX partners participated in the I3 Support Facility #22 Virtual Event – “I3 Instrument Matchmaking Event: Connect, Pitch and Explore Interregional Cooperation Opportunities.”

The online event was organised in the context of the newly opened I3-2026-INV1 – Interregional Innovation Investments Strand 1 and I3-2026-INV2a – Interregional Innovation Investments Strand 2a calls. It brought together innovation stakeholders from across Europe interested in developing interregional partnerships, presenting project ideas, identifying potential consortium partners and exploring future cooperation under the I3 Instrument.

SustainX was represented by Irina Robuleț from Digital Innovation Zone, Laura Lorenzo Brito from Fundación Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and Ints Vīksna and Agnese Kore from the Latvian Technological Center.

During the project-pitching session, Irina Robuleț presented the Cyber-Robotics Trust Hub, an interregional initiative that currently involves stakeholders from North-East Romania, Brittany (France), Bulgaria, and Latvia. As the consortium is still being formed, participation is expected to expand to include additional partners and countries, strengthening its European collaboration and innovation capacity.

The initiative aims to support the development and market uptake of secure robotics and automated systems by providing cybersecurity testing and certification services aligned with the EU Cyber Resilience Act. It also seeks to help SMEs integrate secure-by-design principles into their innovative solutions.

The concept builds on regional pilots and European value chains identified through the SustainX project. To further develop the initiative, Digital Innovation Zone is looking for cooperation with:

• National cybersecurity agencies and competence centres;
• SMEs specialising in cybersecurity, robotics and Edge AI;
• Public authorities responsible for digitalisation;
• European Digital Innovation Hubs and other business support organisations providing innovation, digital transformation, investment-readiness, and market-access services.

The presentation was delivered within the Digital Transition thematic area, which focused on the deployment and scale-up of digital technologies that can strengthen Europe’s competitiveness, productivity and resilience, including cybersecurity solutions and initiatives addressing the digital divide.

SustainX was also represented in the thematic breakout room “Smart Manufacturing: Accelerating the Transformation of European Industrial Ecosystems.” Ints Vīksna and Agnese Kore from the Latvian Technological Center participated in the session, which focused on pilot lines, testbeds and co-creation with SMEs, clusters and end-users to support the scaling-up of advanced manufacturing solutions. Their participation contributed to discussions on potential complementarities, cooperation opportunities and possible roles within future interregional partnerships.

Following the pitches, participants joined moderated thematic matchmaking discussions where they could ask questions, identify complementarities, discuss gaps in expertise and consortium roles, and express interest in potential collaborations.

SustainX’s participation provided an important opportunity to increase the visibility of the Cyber-Robotics Trust Hub, connect with potential European partners and explore how the initiative could be further developed through future interregional innovation investments.

Through its involvement in events of this kind, SustainX continues to facilitate collaboration among SMEs, innovation organisations, public authorities and regional ecosystems, supporting the development of stronger European value chains and new opportunities for long-term interregional cooperation.

Disclaimer

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.