Within the IDEALIST project, Hack&Match has emerged as one of the most effective instruments for helping European Traditional SMEs anticipate technological change and strengthen their competitiveness by getting in contact with Tech-savvy SMEs. Born from the experience of the STARS-EU COSME project (https://starseurope.eu/) and refined within a broader European ecosystem, Hack&Match creates a fast and structured environment where SMEs with concrete challenges collaborate with technology providers to design actionable, innovation-driven solutions.
Across its first three editions engaging Challenge Providers and Solution Providers, the format has shown its capacity to turn industrial needs into high-potential concepts. The inaugural edition in February 2025 on Advanced Materials brought together 28 companies and generated 10 real solutions. Its winners proposed solutions such as innovative lightweight material blends and improved polymer-based components (responding to performance and sustainability requirements).
The second edition in June 2025, with 19 companies involved and 5 solutions developed, dedicated to AI for the Digital and Physical Worlds, matched SMEs with AI experts to address real issues—from converting analogue technical schematics into digital engineering assets to applying predictive models for more efficient industrial processes—demonstrating how advanced digitalisation can immediately support operational resilience.
The third edition, held online on 18–19 November 2025, focused on Energy-Saving Advanced Technologies, addressing a priority area for industrial SMEs and bringing together 11 companies that co-developed 5 practical solutions. Challenge Providers and Solution Developers collaborated intensively to craft proposals aimed at reducing energy consumption, optimising production cycles and integrating smarter monitoring systems.
The results were officially presented during the Awarding Ceremony on 3 December 2025, where the IDEALIST team also introduced the themes and timeline of the next two Hack&Match editions, both dedicated to Advanced Technologies and scheduled for 2026.
More than a competition, Hack&Match has become a space where SMEs gain access to specialised expertise, solution providers engage with real use cases, and cross-border teams build trust. Through these exchanges, IDEALIST continues to foster a community capable of transforming technological opportunities into concrete, resilient innovation.