On the afternoon of 11 October 2025, the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka hosted the workshop Lombardy Excellence for Sustainable Development, an international event dedicated to highlighting Lombardy’s strengths in research and innovation. The initiative was promoted by the Directorate General for Universities, Research and Innovation of Regione Lombardia and was co-organised by AFIL – the Lombardy Intelligent Factory Association, as part of the institutional programme for Italy Expo 2025 Osaka.
The workshop provided an important platform to present two notable European initiatives to the Japanese audience: DeremCo and BATMASS, both co-funded by the European I3 programme and supported by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). AFIL, a partner in both projects, showcased ongoing activities and results achieved so far, underlining the strategic contribution of Lombard companies and research centres to circular-economy solutions for composite materials and innovative approaches to sustainable waste management.
The event also featured dedicated matchmaking sessions and opportunities for direct dialogue with Japanese industrial stakeholders. These exchanges encouraged the sharing of best practices and the exploration of new opportunities for collaboration, reaffirming the importance of international cooperation in accelerating the transition toward more responsible and innovative production models.
Several members of the cluster were among the speakers, including the Politecnico di Milano, coordinator of both initiatives, as well as Centrocot S.p.A. and Fibereuse Tech, partners in the DeremCo project. ERP Italia Servizi and the University of Pavia, involved in the BATMASS initiative, also contributed their expertise. Their presentations highlighted Lombardy’s pivotal role as a region capable of generating cutting-edge technological solutions with positive impact across Europe and global markets.
Through this workshop, Lombardy once again demonstrated its commitment to driving sustainable development and fostering global partnerships aimed at shaping a greener, more innovative future.
Source: AFIL - Associazione Fabbrica Intelligente Lombardia
Published: December 2025