SMAR3TS project partner University of Cambridge (IfM Engage) is seeking innovative approaches to enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) — particularly those operating in food, nutrition and manufacturing value chains — to adopt digital technologies in ways that are affordable, low-risk and sustainability-driven. IfM Engage is enabling small and medium-sized (SMEs) manufacturers to adopt digital technologies in ways that are affordable, low-risk and sustainability-oriented.
SMEs play a critical role in food production, processing, packaging and distribution, yet many struggle to adopt digital tools that could improve efficiency, traceability, quality, waste reduction and resilience. Large-scale digital transformation programmes are often too expensive, complex and risky for smaller firms, especially in sectors such as agrifood, food processing and packaging where margins are tight and regulatory requirements are high. However, many SMEs know that digitalisation can improve efficiency, quality and environmental performance, but lack the resources for large-scale investments. Thus, this I3X supports practical, frugal digital innovation that delivers immediate business and sustainability benefits.
Thus, through its Digital Manufacturing on a Shoestring programme, IfM Engage has developed a step-by-step approach to digitalisation using off-the-shelf technologies that deliver immediate operational and sustainability benefits without disrupting core business operations. Now, IfM Engage is keen to expand the programme and engage the research and innovation talent from the SMAR3TS project to conduct secondments and contribute to solving the further outlined I3X challenge.
As expected outcomes from the secondments shaping this I3X, the low-cost, modular solutions will allow companies to experiment, learn, and scale digital tools while maintaining financial and operational stability.
Within SMAR3TS, this Innovate3X (I3X), initiated by IFM Engage at the University of Cambridge (UK), focuses on using frugal digital innovation to strengthen resilience, restoration, and regeneration in food and manufacturing systems— enabling SMEs to:
The I3X challenge, framed as a call to support resilient, restorative, and regenerative transitions, invites SMAR3TS partners to contribute through secondments to help design, test, and scale shoestring digital solutions in real industrial and food-system contexts.
In response to this, I3X, secondees could work on, for example:
- Identifying low-cost digital tools to improve food manufacturing, packaging, storage and logistics
- Designing step-by-step digitalisation pathways for SMEs
- Linking digital solutions to sustainability goals such as food waste reduction, energy efficiency and traceability
- Supporting pilots and early implementation in real companies
- Developing guidance and case studies for wider SME adoption
For more info, please see the details in the attachments.
Please note: the secondments are open only to SMAR3TS Consortium Partners.
Necessary skills and capabilities across disciplines
This I3X requires a combination of:
- Knowledge of manufacturing and SME operations
- Knowledge of digital tools, software and data
- Experience/interest to work n the fields of food and agrifood systems
- Research on sustainability, energy and waste reduction
- Research on innovation in resource-constrained environments
- Research on change management, foresight, roadmapping
Examples of challenges that need to be addressed
1.Fragmented scientific evidence
Knowledge about food, nutrition and mental health is scattered across disciplines and lacks a single validated, comprehensive reference for practitioners and policymakers.
2. Weak translation from science to practice
Research findings are rarely embedded in schools, healthcare, food environments and public policy in ways that improve mental health outcomes.
3. Lack of trusted guidance for decision-makers
Clinicians, educators, and public authorities lack clear, evidence-based frameworks for designing food and nutrition interventions for mental well-being.
4. Coordination of multi-stakeholder ecosystems
Effective solutions require collaboration between researchers, clinicians, schools, food producers, regulators and innovators, which is currently difficult to organise and sustain.
I3X at the University of Cambridge – About the initiator
1. Background info
IfM Engage is part of the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), University of Cambridge, and specialises in translating research into practice through industry, government and societal engagement.
2. Research Group/Company Department
IfM Engage facilitates the translation of scientific and technological knowledge into real-world impact through consulting, education, roadmapping and communication, supporting organisations to address sustainability, health, and innovation challenges.
Link to the website:https://engage.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk
Contact info: Dr David Lott, Chief Executive Officer, Academic Division: Manufacturing and Management, Email: dl362@cam.ac.uk
See attachment for more info about the I3X initiator and I3X description.
Alignment to Work-Packages (Nutrition, Mobility, Energy, Housing)
SMAR3TS domains that are relevant to the work of the IFM Engage research and innovation team: nutrition.
This I3X is primarily aligned with the Nutrition domain of SMAR3TS, addressing food, diet, and health, while also connecting to education, public health, and social systems.
Alignment to Resilience, Restoration, Regeneration (R3)
This I3X supports resilient, restorative, and regenerative food systems development, more specifically:
-Understanding how resilience can strengthen young people’s mental and cognitive capacity to cope with societal stress and change
-Exploring restoration practices by addressing diet- and environment-related drivers of mental health decline
-Studying regenerative innovation industry practices in the food sector to enable healthier food systems, behaviours, and knowledge ecosystems
Note:
The expression of interest for the secondment at the University of Cambridge (IFM Engage) must be submitted via the platform. Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and you will be contacted as soon as possible. For any questions, please contact: info@smar3ts.eu
SMAR3TS (Staff Mobility to Action Resilient, Restorative, & Regenerative Transitions & Societies) enables secondments (staff exchanges), between 36 partners, across 16 countries (and 4 continents), to undertake cutting-edge research and innovation on resilience, restoration, regeneration (R3) across four sectors: energy, mobility, nutrition and housing, to accelerate pathways to economic, environmental and societal impact.
SMAR3TS is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Staff Exchange Program Project ID: 101236376.
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