Tèxtils.CAT, the advanced textile materials cluster of Catalonia, celebraed the success of its international event, "Talent and Textile Innovation: Driving the Industry of Tomorrow," held on June 26 in Terrassa. The summit brought together over 50 key stakeholders from across Europe, highlighting the critical importance of fostering talent, promoting innovation, and providing robust support to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the textile sector.

The event underscored Tèxtils.CAT's key role as the coordinator of impactful European projects, placing a special focus on the achievements of xBUILD-EU as its final event. This initiative is designed to strengthen the resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability of the European textile industry by addressing key challenges in skills development, digitalization, the green transition, and intersectoral collaboration.

A major highlight of the event was the inspiring testimonials from SMEs that have benefited from the xBUILD-EU project's "Cascade Funding." Representatives from Tèxtil Tapias, Finsa – Job Group, and Medicare System showcased how direct financial support from the project has empowered them to develop innovative solutions and lead the charge in the green and digital transitions. These success stories provided tangible proof of the project's direct and positive impact on business innovation and competitiveness.

"This event served as a powerful platform to communicate the concrete results of the xBUILD-EU project," said a spokesperson for Tèxtils.CAT. "By putting a spotlight on the SMEs and their achievements, we demonstrate to our fellow clusters and European policy officers the effectiveness of targeted support mechanisms like cascade funding in transforming our industry from the ground up."

The summit offered a unique platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, featuring a rich agenda that included:

• Innovative industry-academia collaboration models, with insights from cluster members LIASA – La Industrial Algodonera and Sensing Tex, highlighting partnerships generated through the ADDTEX project.
• A debate on new generations in the labor market with Pere Ejarque of CECOT, addressing generational and cultural shifts impacting talent development.
• A roundtable on the future vision of young people and SMEs, moderated by Mònica Ardanuy of UPC, featuring emerging talent from UPC, the University of Borås, and the University of Florence alongside leading companies like Hilados Egarfil and Texfire Technical Fabrics.
• A dynamic "Speed Dating: Talent Meets the Industry" session, fostering direct connections between students and textile companies.
• Strategic insights from the Textile ETP on new opportunities in talent, innovation, and the circular economy, including the presentation of the new Horizon Partnership dedicated to the textile industry: "Textiles of the Future."

The strong participation from across Europe signals a shared vision for a more sustainable, digital, and competitive textile sector. The discussions and connections forged during the event are expected to further accelerate the adoption of green and digital solutions, enhance workforce skills, and strengthen intersectoral collaboration—all key factors for the long-term success of the European textile industry.