MPIKov AS 2026 showed: Industry 4.0 starts with concrete challenges for companies

This year's program can be considered successful primarily because it brought together very different companies in one place - from startups to established manufacturing companies. Although they often come from different worlds, they meet on very similar issues: how to increase productivity, how to introduce new technologies, how to better use data, and how to stay competitive.

Nine participants participated in three workshops, introducing Industry 4.0 to the participants through knowledge, experience and concrete examples from practice. The first workshop was held at MG Rohr doo, where participants learned through a practical example how a company is tackling automation and what effects it can bring to production. The second workshop was dedicated to connecting machines, systems and data, and the third to the question of how to make better decisions from data - also with the help of ERP systems, analytics and artificial intelligence.

An important message of the program was that technology alone is not enough. The focus remains on the person – their knowledge, willingness to change, understanding of processes and ability to collaborate. It has also been repeatedly shown that before introducing new solutions, a company must first have a good understanding of its processes, data, bottlenecks, goals and how to measure progress.

The responses from participants and providers confirm that the topic of Industry 4.0 was very relevant for companies. External providers particularly highlighted the active participation of manufacturing companies, while participants highlighted the applicability of the content to their specific development and production challenges. Some companies have already incorporated the content into internal discussions on further steps in digitalization and automation.

We would like to sincerely thank MG Rohr doo , which hosted the first workshop, WayteQ Adria doo , which provided Shelly modules, EK NOVA doo , which professionally prepared learning kits for a practical demonstration of data acquisition using sensors, and all the facilitators for their help in implementing the program. A big thank you also goes to the participants, who truly enriched the workshops with their presence and participation.

MPIK also confirms its role as a supportive environment not only for potential entrepreneurs and startups, but also for development-oriented companies in the region, with programs such as MPIKov AS. At RRA Koroška we will continue to strengthen the connection of companies, experts, development and educational institutions and other key stakeholders, as cooperation is one of the conditions for greater competitiveness Koroške.