INNOADDITIVE: Innovation Challenges for Additive Manufacturing

2026-07-22

Significant advances in Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies, commonly known as 3D printing, over the past decade have transformed the ways in which products are designed, developed, manufactured, and distributed. This poses new challenges for SMEs, especially in terms of becoming aware of the benefits of AM, as well as acquiring new skills and personnel. While withstanding such transformations, according to the European Commission, public innovation agencies strive at keeping the pace of SME innovation support demand, and seek opportunities to implement programmes pivoted on new approaches. At the same time, new innovation support programs leveraging on Open Innovation working models such as Innovation Prizes and hackathons (a.k.a. Innovation Challenges) has been piloted throughout Europe, gaining evidence for improving SMEs awareness of benefits of novel technologies and innovation methodologies. Project INNOADDITIVE aims at improving the knowledge and know-how of innovation agencies about successful support initiatives that proved to impact on the adoption of Additive Manufacturing technologies in SMEs. A special focus will be given to track initiatives adopting innovative and lean formats of Innovation Challenges. This will be done by tracking existing initiatives in the field (in the three partnering regions and beyond), and then sharing relevant know-how during three peer learning workshops organized by the three project partners, and targeting an audience of innovation professionals. Ultimately, the project will deliver an actionable Guide on how to design novel Innovation Challenges capable of accelerating the adoption of Additive Manufacturing technologies by SMEs.

Italy

2026-02-15