Automatica 2025 brought together some of the world’s top minds and most transformative technologies shaping the future of manufacturing and robotics. R3GROUP was proud to be part of this four-day event to showcase our mission: enhancing the resilience and reconfigurability of European production lines through advanced digital solutions.
R3GROUP joined the Start-up Arena, an open innovation space powered by FundingBox. This dynamic environment brought together start-ups, EU projects, and researchers from across Europe to network, pitch ideas, and spark collaboration.
It was a vibrant ecosystem of innovation and knowledge-sharing that offered valuable insights into the latest developments in robotics, AI, and industrial automation. In this space, we were able to engage with thirty-one exhibitors (mainly startups and EU projects), listen to around sixty startup pitches on stage and have even more conversations about innovation, technology and manufacturing.
The importance of resilience and digital transformation in IIoT Innovation
On June 26th, we took the main stage to present the core themes of R3GROUP and spread the word about the next-generation digital tools we are co-developing with partners across Europe.
We kicked off the session with Tjerk Timan, EU researcher and project coordinator from IPC, who delivered a keynote on “Building Resilience Through Reconfigurability.” He highlighted how manufacturers must be prepared to adapt rapidly to disruptions, whether caused by market volatility, supply chain shocks, or geopolitical shifts, and how digital reconfigurability can be the key to staying competitive and operational.
Following the keynote, we hosted an expert roundtable discussion: “Testing the Future: Digital Transformation for Agile and Smart Manufacturing.”
The panel featured:
- Marta Portalés – Project Manager, Mobile World Capital Barcelona
- Giorgos Papapanagiotakis – CEO, Emphasis Digiworld
- Harry Bikas – Project Manager, LMS
- Dr. Christian Hertle – Co-Founder, SFM Systems
- Konstantinos Sipsas – Senior Software Engineer, Netcompany | Flex4Res project
Moderated by Tjerk Timan, the discussion explored the real-world opportunities and challenges of adopting AI and digital twin technologies in smart manufacturing environments. A strong emphasis was placed on cross-project collaboration between European-funded initiatives like R3GROUP and sister project Flex4Res.
Developed under the R3GROUP project, the FR100-OP uses radar-based sensing to detect micro-movements and human presence, without cameras or audio. This privacy-first IIoT solution is fully GDPR-compliant, rugged (IP67-rated), and integrates easily via Bluetooth and LTE.
Beyond the stage, the R3GROUP team connected with dozens of innovators, factory operators, and automation experts at our branded networking space. The free one-day guest passes helped us open conversations with stakeholders who wouldn’t otherwise attend.
We handed out project merchandise, demoed technologies, and planted the seeds for future collaborations and pilots. The informal setup proved perfect for diving deeper into the challenges manufacturers face and how R3GROUP’s tools can provide meaningful solutions.
Our participation at Automatica confirmed several important insights:
- Manufacturers are increasingly demanding plug-and-play digital tools that respect data privacy and are ready for industrial deployment.
- There is a growing appetite for reconfigurable production architectures, especially in high-variability sectors.
- Events like Automatica offer powerful platforms for cross-project learning and strategic alignment within the Horizon Europe ecosystem.
What’s Next for R3GROUP
As we move forward, R3GROUP will continue:
- Testing and refining its digital solutions in real manufacturing environments.
- Collaborating with sister projects and industrial partners across Europe.
- Engaging with early adopters through our R3GROUP Early Adopter Programme and tech integrators to bring our tools to market-readiness.
Were you at Automatica and want to continue the dialogue? Want to explore how R3GROUP’s technologies can support your production environment?
Check what we can offer you in the R3GROUP Early Adopter Programme and access to free trials of the technologies we are developing to help you improve the reconfigurability of your processes.
Any further questions, please feel free to reach María Páez (R3GROUP project communication manager): maria.paez@fundingbox.com. Let’s build resilient, reconfigurable, and future-ready factories, together.