DRWO4.0 Joint Pilot Environment Meeting, Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
On September 29–30, 2025, the Bulgarian Furniture Cluster (BFC) alongside Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency took part in the Joint Meeting of the DRWO4.0 Pilot Environments, held at Hotel Jezero, Plitvice Lakes, Croatia, within the framework of the Danube Region Wood Industry Transformation Model towards Industry 4.0 (DRWO4.0) project, co-financed by the Interreg Danube Programme.
The meeting brought together project partners, experts, policymakers, and representatives from the wood and furniture industries to exchange experiences and strengthen collaboration among the three Pilot Environments established within the project – East, West, and South. These pilot environments serve as regional innovation hubs connecting businesses, academia, and institutions to identify industry needs, test new ideas, and co-create practical approaches for advancing the digital and green transformation of the wood-processing sector across the Danube Region.
As an active partner and representative of Pilot Environment East, the Bulgarian Furniture Cluster shared insights from its pilot activities and regional cooperation experience, including the Study Visit BFC hosted in March 2025. During the visit DRWO4.0 partners explored best practices in digital transformation and sustainable production. The visit included discussions on Industry 4.0 applications, creative entrepreneurship, and the role of innovation and design in advancing sustainability. The event demonstrated how cross-sectoral collaboration and new technologies can accelerate the transition of the wood and furniture industries toward more resilient and future-oriented business models.
The Plitvice Lakes meeting also featured a study visit to Plitvice Lakes National Park, where participants explored sustainable natural resource management and eco-tourism models – directly aligning with DRWO4.0’s vision of linking innovation, sustainability, and regional cooperation.
Through its active role in Pilot Environment East, the Bulgarian Furniture Cluster continues to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation, supporting the joint effort to develop a transformation model that will guide the wood and furniture industries of the Danube Region towards a more sustainable and digitally empowered future.
