Because it’s a real chance to make things happen. MANTRA brings together the funding, the people, and the tools SMEs need to step into the future, without having to do it alone. At Babele, we’ve worked with hundreds of innovators, and what makes this project exciting is how practical it is: you get expert support, a clear plan, and the space to test and grow your ideas in good company.
At EIT Manufacturing, we work closely with SMEs to drive innovation, sustainability, and digital transformation. We understand the challenges: limited financial capacity, intense competition, and uncertainty around the green and digital transition. The MANTRA community exists to bridge this gap by offering practical, proven solutions, from circular economy practices to cutting-edge digital tools, and connecting SMEs with peers, tech providers, and innovation pioneers across Europe. MANTRA unites a powerful network of EU initiatives, innovation actors, and industry experts, working together to help Europe’s manufacturing SMEs to thrive in a rapidly evolving industrial landscape.
At secpho, we’ve spent years helping manufacturing SMEs connect with disruptive technologies to solve their technological challenges. MANTRA offers them a real opportunity to drive their green and digital transformation, supported by a European network of experts, training, and tailored funding. If innovation once felt out of reach, this is the chance to make it happen.
To face up to the major challenges of climate change, manufacturing SMEs need to transform their manufacturing processes and products to make them more environmentally friendly. The objectives set by the European Commission to achieve Net 0 Carbon by 2050 are ambitious, and are accompagnied by various directives that are binding on businesses. To achieve these targets, every company will have to contribute, including the major principals and their subcontractors. For SMEs, however, it can be difficult to tackle these complex issues on their own, which is why the Mantra community is a real opportunity to take action.
As a Consultant, I see firsthand the complexity of green and digital transformation and the urgent need for actionable, scalable solutions. That’s why I believe Mantra is such a valuable opportunity. It’s more than just funding, it’s a platform where SMEs can access expert support, share knowledge, and explore how others are solving the toughest challenges in sustainability and clean energy.
Roberta Montesano, RINA
CETIM helps manufacturing industries to take into account environmental aspects such as energy, resource saving, eco-design and environmental footprint, by developing tools, guides, methods and environmental data tailored to their needs.
CETIM also supports companies in digitalising their processes, focusing on the various pillars of Industry 4.0, in particular automation, the connected factory and industrial IoT.
Jacquet-Lassus Claire, CETIM
At secpho, we specialise in connecting traditional SMEs with the deep tech solutions they truly need. Our strength lies in understanding their challenges and guiding them toward the right technologies. Through MANTRA, we combine this matchmaking role with personalised mentoring, training sessions, and access to a vibrant ecosystem, empowering each SME to move forward in their transformation journey with the right support.
Sandra Morente Díaz, secpho
At MANTRA, we empower traditional manufacturing SMEs not just to adapt, but to thrive .
Our support goes beyond advice, we provide hands-on guidance to rethink business models, transfer the right technologies, streamline production, and enter new markets with confidence. Whether it’s building a circular strategy, reducing inefficiencies, or mapping your innovation journey, we align every tool and service with your real-world needs The result? Practical transformation that enhances sustainability, accelerates digital adoption, and strengthens competitiveness — step by step, and side by side.
Angelica Marsico, EIT Manufacturin
At RINA, we work closely with traditional manufacturing SMEs to support their transition toward sustainability and innovation. We provide tailored services such as LCA, LCC, S-LCA, GHG emissions reduction calculations, energy assessments, and environmental impact evaluations. By staying on the front line with our clients, we tackle key challenges together — and we celebrate their success as our own when results are achieved.
We’ve built the MANTRA platform to feel like a co-pilot for your transformation journey. From applying to the open call, to teaming up with a tech partner, to tracking your pilot results—everything happens in one place. It’s simple, intuitive, and designed with SME realities in mind. No corporate buzzwords, just real tools that help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
Emmanuele Musa, BABELE
MANTRA isn’t just funding, it’s a fast track to transformation! Through its open calls and tailored journeys, it helps SMEs in key sectors like machinery, food, textiles, plastics, ceramics, and metals turn sustainability challenges into growth opportunities. With expert support and sector-specific insight, MANTRA empowers companies to innovate, stay competitive, and lead the green transition — not follow it.
SMEs will be able to access “à la carte” technical support from the consortium's specialists, tailored to their needs and enabling them to secure their investments in cutting-edge technologies, for which they will receive financial support.
MANTRA open calls are more than just funding, they are an invitation to reshape the future of your company. Through its tailored transformation journeys, each SME receives the tools, expert support, and resources to make innovation tangible, backed by a consortium that genuinely believes in their potential to lead the green and digital transition.
With MANTRA’s open calls and sector-specific transformation journeys, we turn ambition into action. Whether you're in food, textiles, plastics, metals, ceramics, or machinery, MANTRA offers more than funding, it offers direction. Each journey is a tailored pathway to help SMEs tackle real challenges, access expert guidance, adopt sustainable and digital solutions, and unlock new growth opportunities. It’s not just support, it’s a strategic push toward a smarter, greener future for European manufacturing.
MANTRA open calls are more than just funding, they are an invitation to reshape the future of your company. Through its tailored transformation journeys, each SME receives the tools, expert support, and resources to make innovation tangible, backed by a consortium that genuinely believes in their potential to lead the green and digital transition.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HADEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
SECPhO is a cluster based on Spain that brings together more than 180 organisations that promote technological innovation through deep tech in all sectors of our economy. They contribute to the assessment and advisory services for SME’s, including due diligence assessments, matchmaking non-tech SMEs with tech SMEs, co-creation labs, and tailored, value-added advisory services.
Rina-C is a global network specializing in energy transition, ESG, and digitalisation, based in Italy. They are responsible for providing assessment and advisory services to the selected SMEs undergoing digital and technological transformation. This includes due diligence assessments, matchmaking tech-savvy and traditional SMEs, share best practices in co-creation labs, and offering tailored solutions and recommendations for practical implementation as part of the advisory services.
Babele is a social enterprise based in Romania, that acts as a catalyst for systemic innovation, uniting a global network of universities, corporations, NGOs, and social entrepreneurs to co-create impactful solutions to address global issues such as climate change and poverty, while fostering resilience in the face of its effects. They are responsible for developing, building, and managing the digital platform for SME recruitment, overseeing the capacity-building and support program, and connecting innovation communities, EU networks, and SME support initiatives. The platform will function as a hub for knowledge exchange and a community of practice.
Greenovate! Europe is a not-for-profit network of organisations dedicated to sustainable innovation. It develops sustainability projects and provides innovation support to researchers, companies and policymakers. The project partner based in Belgium, is responsible for the communication and dissemination activities of the MANTRA project. Their goal is to maximize the project’s impact by raising awareness, building a stakeholder community, and sharing open project results in a way that ensures they are actionable and exploitable by stakeholders.
INES TEC is a research & development institute located on the campus of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, located in Portugal. They oversee the role of identifying the needs and barriers of SMEs to create the most favorable capacity-building support services. They will connect European specialised business support structures, networks, and organizations to build-up an innovative value-added support ecosystem for SMEs.
EIT Manufacturing is a public-private partnership located in Italy, co-funded by the European Union and established in 2019 that connects manufacturing players by promoting talent and entrepreneurship to accelerate sustainable innovation in Europe. They provide coaching programs and capacity-building support to enhance the competitiveness and innovation of SMEs. Building on the SME Alliance projects and EITM initiatives, they oversee the SME ecosystem, facilitating the exchange of best practices, and enable that traditional SMEs gain from dedicated peer-learning activities, learning directly from leaders in their sector.
EIT Manufacturing is a public-private partnership located in Italy, co-funded by the European Union and established in 2019 that connects manufacturing players by promoting talent and entrepreneurship to accelerate sustainable innovation in Europe.
They provide coaching programs and capacity-building support to enhance the competitiveness and innovation of SMEs. Building on the SME Alliance projects and EITM initiatives, they oversee the SME ecosystem, facilitating the exchange of best practices, and enable that traditional SMEs gain from dedicated peer-learning activities, learning directly from leaders in their sector.
Cetim is a technological accelerator dedicated to industrial transformation. It brings the best of research to French industries and offers a comprehensive solution combining consulting and engineering services. They contribute to the assessment and advisory services for SME’s, including due diligence assessments, matchmaking non-tech SMEs with tech SMEs, co-creation labs, and tailored, value-added advisory services.
Zabala Innovation is an international consultancy firm specialising in consultancy services for both R&D and Innovation management, based in Spain. As project coordinators for MANTRA, Zabala ensures smooth project management and defines the criteria to select and prioritise the manufacturing SME projects that will be funded through the project to unlock their digital and technological potential and build sustainable business models.
