On 2nd November, the MobiNexus community met at the Sala d’Actes José Antonio Torroja at UPC in Barcelona to share the project’s results and discuss how collaboration can shape the future of mobility. Researchers, industry experts, public authorities and innovators took part.
Why mobility matters now
Dr. Eleni Anoyrkati of Coventry University Services Limited, the project coordinator, opened the event by setting the scene and explaining why mobility innovation is so urgent today.
Delivering across five countries
Three partners presented how MobiNexus has worked in practice: Prof. Marijana Petrović of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade; Mario Vukelić of the Science & Technology Park of the University of Rijeka; and Dr. Laia Pagès of CARNET – Future Mobility Research Hub. They covered the Entrepreneurship Academy, the user-centric labs and the knowledge transfer activities carried out across five countries.
Try it live: the MobiNexus Open Knowledge Platform
Slobodan Mitrović of the Innovation Centre, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Belgrade, gave a live demonstration of the MobiNexus Open Knowledge Platform. The platform offers a collaborative environment where stakeholders can connect with potential partners, explore new collaboration opportunities, access information on relevant funding calls and share knowledge across the mobility ecosystem. The demonstration also showcased its latest AI-powered features, including intelligent search, matchmaking tools and an AI chatbot, designed to make it easier for users to find relevant information, identify synergies and develop new partnerships.
Round table: voices from the field
Moderated by Dr. Laia Pagès, Scientific Director and Executive/Research Manager at CARNET, the round table brought together academia and industry.
Turning data into decisions. Oliva Garcia Cantú, Chief Research & Development Officer at Nommon, explained that digital platforms are especially valuable where topics and stakeholders struggle to find a common context.
From sensors to sustainability. Milena Vuckovic of Nexxiot, an independent mobility and transportation consultant, discussed data-sharing protocols, such as connecting sensors in a tunnel to a central platform. She also shared strategies for keeping projects going after public funding ends.
Openness with the right mindset. Swati Jadhav, AI Product Strategy & Leadership at Volkswagen, addressed the balance between open innovation and confidentiality. She stressed that getting the mindset right matters, and that collaboration between academia and industry is crucial.
Partnerships that work. David Hope, Business Development Manager at Coventry City Council, described successful partnerships between universities and public entities, often built through pilot projects.
People as drivers. Prof. Simone Kauffeld, Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology at TU Braunschweig, reminded the audience that people are not only users but drivers of change. Platforms should strengthen collaboration and interaction, not replace them.
Energy where and how it’s needed. Vedran Kirinčić, Energy & Mobility Systems Strategist at RITEH (Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka), said the key question is not general electricity demand but where and how energy is needed. He covered real-time management of energy and data flows, the challenge of storage, and the role of cooperation from planning to real-world deployment. He also raised the challenges of life after a project, when knowledge and resources run short.
Trust comes first. Prof. Jasmina Berbegal-Mirabent, Director of the UNESCO Chair of Higher Education Management at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, noted that most barriers are organisational and relational, and that building trust is the starting point. She showed how platforms can support the Sustainable Development Goals. A platform helps, but it is not the goal, and progress requires a multisectoral approach open to other disciplines.
What we learned, what we leave behind
In her closing reflections, Dr. Laia Pagès brought the day together around one message: MobiNexus is a beginning, not an end. The platform and the community built around it will keep connecting people and ideas beyond the life of the project.
👉 Join the MobiNexus Open Knowledge Platform and become part of the community: www.mobinexus.net
Thank you to all speakers, partners and participants who joined us in Barcelona.
