Twin4Twin Marks Success with CORE Innovation Days
The Twin4Twin project is pleased to announce the successful completion of CORE Innovation Days, a pivotal milestone in its journey. Organised by CORE Innovation Centre (CORE IC), the event was held on January 15-16, 2025, at Benaki Museum and CORE IC premises in Athens, Greece. It brought together key stakeholders to showcase Industry 4.0 technologies and innovations, along with key players from the Greek industry, global leaders in academia, policy-making, and innovation, to explore emerging trends, address challenges, and celebrate successes.
CORE Innovation Days was an invitation-only international event designed to inspire collaboration and foster partnerships across Greece’s research and innovation landscape. Over two days, the event showcased groundbreaking advancements in Industry 4.0 and promoted dialogue on the future of manufacturing and digital transformation. The first day featured a conference attended by nearly 150 participants, while the second day hosted an exclusive workshop dedicated to proposal writing and consortium building for future innovation calls.
Day 1: Conference Highlights
Opening Remarks
The conference opened with a warm welcome from Stefanos Kokkorikos and Nikos Kyriakoulis, Founders and Managing Partners of CORE IC. Their addresses were followed by inspiring greetings from distinguished guests, including Stefan Estermann, Ambassador of Switzerland in Greece, Prof. Konstantinos Karantzalos, Secretary General at the Ministry of Digital Governance, and Michail Dritsas from the Ministry of Economy & Finance of the Hellenic Republic. who highlighted the STEP Programme’s potential in advancing Greek and European organisations.
The opening session concluded with a compelling presentation by Stefanos Kokkorikos, coordinator of Twin4Twin project, where he highlighted the philosophy behind the project, emphasizing the power of collaboration, knowledge transfer, and cutting-edge Industry 4.0 technologies in driving innovation in manufacturing forward.
Session A: Digital Transformation in Industry
The first session featured insightful presentations and engaging discussions on the future of the industry in Greece and beyond.
George Panagiotopoulos (EY) addressed the challenges and opportunities for Greek industries in their digital transformation journey.
Raimund Klein (INCIT) introduced the SIRI framework, a holistic tool to help manufacturers prioritize their digital transformation strategies.
Dr. Dominic Gorecky (SSF) showcased the Swiss Smart Factory’s roadmap for Industry 4.0 and shared tips on securing funding for transformative projects.
Dr. Nikos Kyriakoulis (CORE IC) unveiled the Greek Smart Factory, a collaborative platform fostering innovation in real-world industrial settings.
The session concluded with an engaging panel discussion led by Dr. Nikos Makris (CORE IC), on piecing together the puzzle for a successful digital transformation journey in Greece.
Session B: The Present and Future of Industry 4.0
This session, moderated by Prof. David Romero, explored cutting-edge Industry 4.0 technologies and their impact on industrial operations in Greece and beyond. Experts shared insights on how these innovations are driving transformation today and preparing industries for the future:
Prof. Romero (World Manufacturing Foundation) presented the 2024 World Manufacturing Report, offering strategies to future-proof manufacturing in an uncertain business environment.
Prof. Dimitris Kyritsis (EPFL, UIO) introduced information modeling frameworks and ontologies, the foundation for connecting digital assets.
Dr. John Soldatos (Netcompany) highlighted the transformative potential of generative AI and large language models in industry.
Dr. Foivos Psarommatis (Zerofect GmbH) discussed upcoming 2027 regulations on Digital Product Passports.
Ignacio Montero Castro (AIMEN) explained Asset Administration Shells as bridges between physical and digital worlds.
Dr. Jacopo Cassina (Syxis) explored industrial data spaces as tools for cognitive production and stakeholder connectivity.
Jarkko Soikkeli (Visual Components) examined the evolution and applications of digital twins for maximizing productivity.
Session C: Industry 4.0 Innovation Case Studies
The third and final session featured three dynamic panels, highlighting real-world applications of Industry 4.0 technologies. The discussions showcased successful combinations of technologies and valuable examples from European Research and Innovation Projects.
Panel: Digital and Green Transition of Manufacturing
This panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Pantelis Papachristou (CORE IC), focused on how digital and green technologies, including IoT, AI, digital twins, and circularity principles, are reshaping manufacturing ecosystems, highlighted practical examples from European research projects, and examined innovation, data, and collaboration as key drivers for transformative change.
The panel featured esteemed speakers, including:
Dr. Dimitris Panopoulos (Suite5)
Dr. Paolo Pedrazzoli (TTSN)
Prof. Pedro Malo (Unparallel)
Dr. Niki Kousi (ΕΙΤ Manufacturing)
Dr. Vicky Panagiotopoulou (LMS)
Panel: Energy and Sustainability of Processes with Industry 4.0
This panel discussion, moderated by Valia Iliopoulou (CORE IC), focused on the importance of resource and energy efficiency for Europe's green and digital transition, highlighting the SPIRE initiative's roadmap to decouple human well-being from resource consumption, achieve significant reductions in fossil energy and raw material intensity, and foster innovation through advanced technologies and sustainable practices across industrial sectors.
The second panel brought together notable experts such as:
George Tsimiklis (ICCS)
Dr. Mario Pichler (SCCH)
Anna Domènech Abella (CELSA)
Prof. Hussam Juhara (Brunel)
Panel: Digital Transformation of Mines with Industry 4.0
The panel discussion on "Digital Transformation in the Mining Industry", moderated by Konstantina Tsioli (CORE IC), highlighted challenges such as inefficiencies, sustainability, and resilience; the role of Industry 4.0 technologies like IoT, digital twins, and AI in enhancing operations; and the importance of strategic collaboration to drive innovation and cross-border transformation.
The third panel concluded with insightful contributions from:
Ass. Prof. Antonis Peppas (NTUA)
Dr. Jose Ramon Valdés (ITA)
Kostas Botsialas (AURORA)
Dr. Santiago Cuesta Lopez (ISMC)
Emilios Vazoukis (Terna Mag)
The Twin4Twin partners made significant contributions to key discussions at recent panels. Dr. Mario Pichler (SCCH) shared valuable insights during the panel on "Energy and Sustainability of Processes with Industry 4.0," which highlighted groundbreaking projects aimed at promoting energy-efficient and sustainable processes. Similarly, Dr. Jose Ramon Valdés (ITA) provided expert perspectives during the panel on "Digital Transformation of Mines with Industry 4.0," where innovative projects transforming the mining industry were discussed.
Day 2: Twin4Twin Proposal Writing Workshop
The second day featured a closed workshop at the CORE IC headquarters, fostering collaboration among 50 select participants. Attendees engaged in targeted sessions to explore funding opportunities and build consortia for future research and innovation calls. This hands-on workshop underscored the importance of partnerships in advancing the goals of the Twin4Twin project.
An Engaging and Memorable Experience
CORE IC team went above and beyond to ensure a welcoming and engaging experience for all participants, with impressive demo setups, printed materials, and digital assets on display. Discussions during the event highlighted the latest advancements in Industry 4.0, unveiled new funding opportunities, and underscored the groundbreaking work of the Twin4Twin project.
Building on this initial experience, CORE Innovation Days event aims to become an annual gathering, bringing together key stakeholders to showcase cutting-edge Industry 4.0 technologies and innovations, with the goal of providing the industry valuable insights into their practical applications, transformative potential, and strategic deployment.
Learn More
For more information about CORE Innovation Days, visit the project’s website here.
