Industry 5.0 in Action: Lessons from the PROSPECTS 5.0 Workshop

Industry 5.0 in Action: Lessons from the PROSPECTS 5.0 Workshop

On March 19, 2025, our sister project, PROSPECTS 5.0 hosted an online workshop, “Industry 5.0 in Action: Business Experiences & Expert Insights”, bringing together 35 participants from over 10 countries. Organised by TECNALIA, the event convened businesses, research institutions, and digital ecosystem representatives to discuss how Industry 5.0 (I5.0) principles are being applied in practice across Europe.
This session offered insights into the practical realities of I5.0 implementation, revealing shared challenges and emerging opportunities. Through real-world use cases GTW Bearings (Czechia), TRYGONS (Greece), CAMELEO (Poland), S-GARD (Germany), and ZEUKO (Spain), the workshop explored the challenges, barriers, and impact of the transition toward more human-centric, sustainable, and resilient industrial models.

Use Cases Highlights

GTW Bearings (Czechia) – Bearing manufacturing
GTW reflected on their experience integrating collaborative technologies into conventional production systems, underlining the difficulty of balancing sustainability objectives with cost-effectiveness in a highly competitive sector.

TRYGONS (Greece) – Composite parts for marine & automotive
TRYGONS outlined challenges in automating their intricate manufacturing processes, emphasizing the need for tailor-made solutions. A shortage of skilled personnel remains a critical barrier to adopting AI-driven tools.

CAMELEO (Poland) – Custom decorative coatings
CAMELEO emphasized the role of employee engagement in digital transformation and demonstrated how virtual reality technologies enhanced customer interaction. They also raised concerns over growing sustainability demands and global market competition.

S-GARD (Germany) – Safety gear manufacturing
S-GARD highlighted difficulties related to recycling complex, multi-material garments. Budgetary constraints were identified as another key challenge, limiting the scope of their digital transformation.

ZEUKO (Spain) – Cranes, lifting systems and heavy equipment
ZEUKO showcased their deployment of predictive maintenance tools to increase operational resilience. They echoed other participants’ concerns about the growing skills gap, particularly in relation to advanced digital systems.

Despite their diverse profiles, the participating companies reported a common set of barriers to adopting Industry 5.0. These included internal resistance to change, high upfront investment costs, and challenges in integrating new technologies with legacy systems. A recurring concern was the shortage of skilled personnel, particularly in AI and digitalisation, pointing to the need for targeted training and inclusive workforce strategies.

The Role of Ecosystems and External Stakeholders

Speakers emphasised that Industry 5.0 is not only shaped internally, but also deeply influenced by external enablers and societal trends. The external stakeholders from EIT Manufacturing and DIHNAMO – European Center for Digital Innovation (coordinated by the NextMove cluster, France) also shared their vision. They provided valuable insights on supporting industrial transformation and innovation through ecosystem engagement and capacity building, further underlining the importance of collaborative support structures in advancing the Industry 5.0 agenda.

The workshop highlighted several areas where support systems and ecosystem actors can accelerate progress:

• • Policy and regulatory frameworks
    Public funding and policy initiatives were identified as both an opportunity and a constraint. While some national or regional programmes support I5.0 investments, regulatory compliance can add complexity, especially for SMEs.

• • Collaboration with research and technology providers
    Collaborations with institutions were highlighted as essential. These partnerships support companies in navigating complex technologies, accelerating learning, and accessing testing infrastructures.

• • Customer-centric demands
    Rising demand for sustainable, high-quality, and customisable products is pushing companies to adapt their offerings. This market pressure, while challenging, has become a strong catalyst for innovation and transformation.
  • Societal impact and employee well-being
    I5.0 principles call for more than technological upgrades. They emphasise the human experience. The companies noted how job satisfaction, employee involvement, and inclusive processes must be part of any transformation strategy.

The second part of the workshop featured an open and interactive discussion, during which participants exchanged views on practical challenges and possible solutions related to the implementation of Industry 5.0. This moderated dialogue fostered cross-sector learning and highlighted the importance of peer-to-peer exchange in building a more open and collaborative transition toward Industry 5.0 across Europe.

Conclusions and next Steps

The workshop offered a realistic but optimistic view of Europe’s Industry 5.0 transition. While barriers remain, the participating SMEs demonstrated that meaningful change is not only possible, but already underway.

Future workshops planned in PROSPECTS 5.0 project will build on this initial exchange, taking a deeper dive into implementation challenges, key success factors, and hands-on solutions. By keeping the conversation going and widening the circle of stakeholders, the project aims to strengthen Europe’s collective capacity to put Industry 5.0 into practice—across regions, sectors, and company sizes.