Drive2Transform is a 2.5-year European project that seeks to assist businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in navigating the changes brought about by the transformation of the automotive industry in the four thematic focus areas of connectivity, electrification, automation, and platform economy, with the ultimate goal of safeguarding Europe's market dominance.
On October 16th and 17th, 2024, the transnational workshop for the Drive2Transform project took place in Pilsen, Czech Republic. This hybrid meeting (in-person and online) brought together project partners from nine regions to analyze the results of a survey conducted among companies and Business Support Organizations (BSOs) in the automotive industry.
The objectives of the workshop were to understand the regional and transnational readiness levels, grasp regional differences, discuss synergies, and identify relevant innovation fields.
The workshop kicked off with insightful presentations on the Pilsen region's innovation ecosystem, led by hosts Filip Uhlik and Filip Tikal. Each participating region then presented its regional analysis based on the survey results, offering valuable insights into the specific challenges and strengths of their respective areas.
A key focus of the workshop was the transnational analysis of the survey results. This analysis highlighted the differences and commonalities between regions across the key areas of Electrification, Automation, Connectivity, and Platform Economy. As a result, a proposal for a regional and transnational score was developed, which will serve as a benchmark for the future transformation of the automotive industry in Europe.
The workshop was a significant step toward developing a cross-regional strategy for the transformation of the automotive sector. The exchange of ideas and collaboration between the regions play a crucial role in driving a sustainable and future-oriented automotive industry across Europe.
As an additional highlight, participants gathered for a dinner on the evening of their arrival at the Viktoria Pilsen football stadium, where initial discussions on key topics began in an informal setting.
You can still participate in the EU Survey via the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/drive2transform-business. For any inquiries or further information regarding the study results/survey, please feel free to contact Anne Häner or Steve Schumann from the Cluster Mobility & Logistics.
We look forward to the next steps in the Drive2Transform project! More information can be found on the project website and on LinkedIn.