22 May 2026

C4T Project Strengthens Cross-Border Cooperation for SMEs Digital Transformation During High-Level Meeting in Calabria The partners of the C4T – Companies4Tomorrow project gathered in Lamezia Terme on 14–15 May 2026 for the project’s Transnational Meeting, hosted by Unioncamere Calabria. The event brought together institutional representatives, universities, chambers of commerce, business associations, research centres, SMEs, and regional stakeholders from Greece and Italy to advance collaboration on sustainable and smart digital transformation initiatives for enterprises across the Mediterranean area. The first day of the meeting opened with a public session focused on strengthening cross-border synergies and enlarging the cooperation ecosystem supporting SMEs and Industry 4.0 innovation. Under the title “Digitalizing the Mediterranean: challenges and opportunities”, the event provided an important platform for dialogue among policy makers, academia, business support organisations, and innovation stakeholders. The public session addressed the capitalization of project results and the development of practical instruments capable of supporting the sustainable, smart, and economic digital transformation of SMEs through cooperation between enterprises, universities, and research centres. Representatives from the Interreg Greece–Italy Programme Joint Secretariat participated in the discussions, highlighting the strategic importance of territorial cooperation in the next European programming period. Opening remarks delivered by: • Dr. Pietro Alfredo Falbo, President of Unioncamere Calabria, • Dr. Antonio Montuoro, Councillor for International Cooperation for the Calabria Region. The technical sessions featured distinguished speakers from Greece and Italy, presenting strategic perspectives on digital innovation, territorial cooperation, and SME transformation: • Prof. Spiros Sirmakessis, Lead Partner from the University of Peloponnese, presented the vision of “Companies4Tomorrow builds Companies 4.0”. • Dr. Gianfranco Gadaleta, Joint Secretariat Coordinator, discussed the future of territorial cooperation during the 2028–2033 programming period. • Dr. Nicola Mayerà from the Calabria Region addressed regional innovation and investment perspectives. • Mr. Takis Papadopoulos, Deputy Regional Governor for Entrepreneurship, Research and Innovation of the Region of Western Greece, presented the DIGI-WEST initiative as an example of regional digital transformation strategy. Following the public event and networking activities, the meeting continued with the second session entitled “Stakeholder Meeting: Enlarging Cooperation Networks”, dedicated to strengthening collaboration between enterprises, universities, chambers of commerce, and research institutions operating in Italy and Greece. The stakeholder meeting identified concrete opportunities for expanding digital cooperation frameworks and developing future initiatives capable of supporting innovation ecosystems, workforce development, and technology transfer in the Mediterranean area. Discussions focused on improving the interaction between research institutions and business needs, enhancing digital capacities among SMEs, and generating new cross-border project opportunities. Participants in the stakeholder session included: • Unioncamere Calabria, • business associations, • the University of Calabria, • the University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, • the Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, • research centres, Among the keynote speakers: • Ms. Maristella Mantuano, Communication Officer of the Joint Secretariat, discussed communication strategies, storytelling techniques, and youth engagement opportunities. • Ms. Elena Giannopoulou, Project Officer of the C4T project, contributed with insights on project implementation and cooperation opportunities. Through initiatives such as the C4T project, Greece and Italy continue to strengthen their cooperation in fostering digital innovation capacities, supporting SMEs, and building sustainable cross-border ecosystems capable of addressing future technological and economic challenges.