On 30 June 2025, SustainX hosted its second public webinar to introduce its mission, activities, and upcoming opportunities for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises across five European regions. The event drew over 100 participants, marking a strong start for one of the project’s key outreach efforts.
The session, led by Laura Lorenzo Brito from Fundación Santa Cruz Sostenible, presented the core goals of SustainX and how it supports SMEs in Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, and the Canary Islands in their green and digital transition. The webinar served as a preparatory session ahead of the official Open Call for SMEs, which will run from September to October 2025.
What is SustainX?
SustainX is a European Union-funded initiative designed to close the innovation gap in less developed regions by strengthening the capacities of SMEs through:
- Tailored training programmes
- 1:1 expert support
- Cross-border matchmaking and collaboration
- Access to EU funding opportunities
The project directly addresses the challenges faced by SMEs, such as weak collaboration ecosystems, limited access to finance, fragmented regional support, and skill shortages — all of which hinder the path to sustainable innovation.
Webinar Overview
In this interactive session, participants learned about:
✅ The rationale behind SustainX: Why the green and digital transition is crucial for SMEs in structurally weaker regions
✅ The consortium partners: Presentations from all project partners including Digital Innovation Zone (RO), IMP3ROVE/Kearney (DE), IED (GR), TUIASI (RO), Latvian Technological Center (LV), and ARC Fund (BG)
✅ The support structure: From regional and interregional trainings to peer learning sessions, matchmaking and tailored 1:1 coaching
✅ The Open Call: What the application process looks like, who can apply, and how selected SMEs will benefit
✅ S3 Priority Sectors: How the project aligns with smart specialisation strategies (S3) and regional development needs — including ICT, agri-food, manufacturing, renewable energy, tourism, bioeconomy and more
What Will Selected SMEs Receive?
SMEs selected through the upcoming Open Call will benefit from:
🌐 local training sessions (online or face-to-face)
🤝 interregional virtual sessions on digital and sustainable innovation
🎓 peer learning sessions led by successful SMEs
📈 1:1 innovation coaching for selected SMEs
🤝 EU-wide matchmaking with partners, clusters, and innovation actors
💶 Support for accessing funding (e.g., I3 Instrument and other EU programmes)
The training is fully customised based on a competence mapping, ensuring that each participant receives targeted support aligned with their business needs and innovation potential.
What’s Next: The SustainX Open Call for SMEs
The Open Call for participation in the SustainX training programme will be launched on September 2025.
Participation is open to forward-looking SMEs that operate (or are willing to operate) in English, demonstrate innovation potential, and are aligned with regional smart specialisation priorities (S3), particularly in the fields of digital transformation and sustainability.
SMEs will be selected based on a set of eligibility and qualitative criteria (to be published soon), and the selection will ensure regional balance across the five territories.
Why This Matters
SMEs are the backbone of Europe’s economy — and even more so in less developed regions. However, they often lack access to the tools, knowledge, and networks needed to thrive in a fast-changing innovation landscape. SustainX steps in to fill that gap, offering free, high-quality, and localised support to empower businesses to grow sustainably, digitally, and competitively.
By participating, SMEs don’t just receive training. They become part of a transnational innovation ecosystem with lasting value, driven by collaboration, learning, and strategic partnerships.
Stay Connected
Want to join the movement?
📌 Register your interest and stay informed via our LinkedIn page
🌐 Visit the official project website: https://sustainx.digital-innovation.zone
📢 The recording of the webinar is available on our YouTube channel – a great resource if you missed the session or want to revisit key points.
Let’s unlock green and digital innovation — together.
