From 21 to 22 October 2025, partners of the project “The European Alliance for Advancing Circular Economy via Industrial Digital Symbiosis (SymbioTech)” gathered in Roskilde, Denmark, for the project’s second transnational partner meeting. The meeting was hosted by InDialogue Denmark (IDDK) and brought together representatives of all partner organisations from eleven European countries to review the progress of ongoing activities and set the course for the next implementation phase of the project.
Throughout the two-day event, SymbioTech Consortium shared updates, exchanged ideas and ensured alignment on milestones and expected deliverables. The discussions also addressed monitoring and reporting procedures, as well as upcoming stakeholder engagement and communication activities.
A strong focus was placed on communication and dissemination (WP6), including progress on deliverables, stakeholder engagement, and impact management. Partners discussed the development of regional networks and strategies to effectively engage SMEs, education providers, and industry stakeholders in digital industrial symbiosis (DIS) initiatives.
Further in-depth sessions were dedicated to the core technical work packages:
- Work Package 2 (Research and Analysis) focuses on identifying the barriers, drivers, and opportunities for Industrial Digital Symbiosis across Europe. Partners presented the outcomes of national studies highlighting key trends, technological gaps, and skill needs in SMEs, which will serve as the knowledge base for the project’s training programmes and digital tools.
- Work Package 3 (Training Design and Implementation) aims to create an innovative, modular curriculum for SymbioTech Managers—new professionals equipped to guide SMEs through circular and digital transformation. The consortium discussed the structure of the upcoming higher education (HEI) and vocational (VET) modules, incorporating topics such as AI integration, blockchain, resource optimization, and circular business models.
- Work Package 4 (AI-Assisted Collaboration Platform) focuses on developing a digital tool that enables SMEs and experts to identify, simulate, and manage symbiotic resource flows. The platform will use artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to map industrial waste and energy exchanges, helping businesses design efficient, data-driven circular collaborations.
The meeting concluded with a review of upcoming deliverables and a discussion on the long-term sustainability and exploitation of project results.
The Roskilde meeting once again highlighted the project’s collaborative spirit and commitment to advancing the digital and circular transformation of European industry through innovative, knowledge-based learning models.
Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, SymbioTech aims to bridge the gap between digital innovation and circular economy by developing new training tools and a collaborative platform that connects education, research, and industry actors across Europe.
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 Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.