News
Discover What's New
Our news section brings you stories from inside the project — achievements, activities, and voices from our partners across Ukraine, Italy, and Portugal.
3rd Webinar—Digital Lean
On December 15, the third UA_EU_CLUSTER5.0 webinar took place, focusing on modern approaches to lean manufacturing in the digital age. Speaker Matteo Zanchi from the University of Bergamo guided participants from classical Lean principles to their reinterpretation in the context of Industry 5.0 – emphasizing technology, agility, and the human factor.
Participants explored how Digital Lean helps structure production processes, eliminate waste, introduce digital tools, and still remain attentive to human needs – both of employees and customers. It's about a new balance: efficiency + value + trust.
More project events are just around the corner – we'll be diving even deeper into business transformation the 5.0 way. Stay tuned!
UA_EU_CLUSTER5.0 Launches Call for Partnership Brokers
The UA_EU_CLUSTER5.0 consortium is pleased to announce the launch of its Call for Partnership Brokers to support strategic business collaboration between SMEs from Italy, Portugal, and Ukraine in the fields of digital innovation and Industry 5.0.
Within this EU-funded initiative, up to 30 Partnership Brokers will be selected to facilitate cross-border partnerships, B2B cooperation, and joint projects between cluster members and SMEs.
Candidates can review the Selection Criteria and apply by submitting the Application Form to our UA_EU_CLUSTER5.0 e-mail or via a Registration form.
The deadline for submitting applications is 16 January 2026, 23:59 CET.
For any questions, please contact the project team at ua.eu.cluster5.0@gmail.com.
UA_EU Cluster 5.0 Takes Part in SMAU Milan 2025: Over 100 B2B Meetings Held Between Ukrainian, Italian, and Portuguese SMEs
On 5–6 November 2025, the UA_EU Cluster 5.0 consortium participated in SMAU Milan 2025, one of Italy's leading innovation fairs, showcasing technologies, startups, and cluster initiatives.
The participation was made possible within the framework of the UA_EU Cluster 5.0 project, implemented by partners from Ukraine, Italy, and Portugal with the support of the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA).
Throughout the two days, the event brought together dozens of innovative companies and clusters, resulting in over 100 B2B meetings between SMEs and corporates. These interactions opened up new opportunities for collaboration, investment, and technology transfer.
A special workshop facilitated by Marika Mazzi Boém (X23) gathered Italian and Portuguese partners, focusing on best practices for fostering cluster cooperation and innovation within the Industry 5.0 paradigm.
According to initial feedback, many Ukrainian and European SMEs have already established valuable connections and expressed strong interest in future partnerships.
The consortium expresses its sincere gratitude to SMAU for hosting our delegation and for providing such an impactful opportunity to connect innovation ecosystems across Europe.
UA_EU Cluster 5.0 Partners Meet in Milan for Strategic Sessions and Mid-Term Review
From 3 to 4 November 2025, partners of the UA_EU Cluster 5.0 project gathered in Milan, Italy, for an intensive two-day programme combining a study visit, a strategic planning workshop, and the first Mid-Term Meeting of the consortium.
Exploring Innovation at MADE – Competence Center Industria 4.0
The visit began with a short trip to MADE Competence Center Industria 4.0, an innovation hub in Milan that supports Italian SMEs in implementing Industry 4.0 and 5.0 solutions.
Partners had the opportunity to explore MADE's collaborative ecosystem, visit its digital factory, and learn more about Italy's best practices in industrial digitalisation and academia–industry cooperation. The visit provided valuable inspiration for further developing the Ukrainian and European cluster collaboration within the project.
LEGO® Serious Play Workshop: Turning Creativity into Strategy
The following day started with a LEGO® Serious Play Workshop, facilitated by Marika Mazzi Boém from X23. Despite its playful format, the workshop proved to be a highly effective strategic tool.
Using LEGO® bricks, partners visualised ideas, discussed shared goals, and co-created a tangible model that reflects their common vision of what the UA_EU Cluster Partnership should look like in the future.
This engaging session helped translate creative thinking into a clear strategy and strengthened the sense of shared ownership and understanding among all partners.
Mid-Term Meeting: Reviewing Progress and Setting Future Goals
In the afternoon, the consortium held its first Mid-Term Meeting, during which each Work Package Leader presented the current progress, achieved milestones, and upcoming activities. The meeting concluded with defining the next steps for project implementation and coordination across all work packages.
Looking Ahead
These days in Milan marked an important milestone for the project, reinforcing collaboration between partners from Ukraine, Italy, and Portugal and setting a clear strategic direction for the months ahead.
The consortium will continue its joint work on upcoming mobility programmes and the development of long-term sustainability models for the Cluster Partnership.
The First Webinar
On July 10, the first webinar within the UA_EU_CLUSTER 5.0 project, co-funded by the European Union, took place. The event was opened and moderated by Larysa Tsyhan, Vice-President of the Chernihiv Chamber of Commerce and Industry, one of the project's partners.
UA_EU_CLUSTER 5.0 is an important initiative aimed at supporting small and medium-sized businesses in digital transformation, sustainable development, and adaptation to the Industry 5.0 concept.
The first webinar, "Basic Concepts of Industry 5.0 — Sustainability, Human-centricity, Digitalisation," served as a platform to discuss the new manufacturing paradigm. Leading experts from the University of Bergamo (Italy), Prof. Giuditta Pezzotta and Dr. Matteo Zanchi, covered topics such as:
🔹 Principles and importance of Industry 5.0 for SMEs;
🔹 Pathways to achieving environmental sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
🔹 Advantages of a human-centric approach in manufacturing;
🔹 Building business resilience in conditions of risks and global challenges.
After the webinar, registered participants received individual consultations from European experts on digital transformation and Industry 5.0 implementation.
The next webinars within this project will take place in autumn and winter 2025. Stay tuned for announcements!