Lab to Market: SmartX Innovation Hub hosts event on Smart & High-Performance Textiles for Mobility

On 29 May 2025, the SmartX Innovation Hub, in collaboration with CeNTI – Centre of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, hosted a one-day event in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal. Our project manager Judith Bosch and members of the SmartX Innovation Hub came together to explore smart and high-performance textiles for the mobility sector.

The morning began with welcome address from Braz Costa the president of CeNTI, setting the stage for a day focused on the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and industrial application.
Kevin Rodrigues, also from CeNTI, opened the technical sessions by highlighting the transformative potential of advanced materials in developing smart textile solutions for mobility. He was followed by Flávio Diniz from ITA Aachen, who explore sustainable and high-performance composites and how innovative materials and processes are reshaping the industry. The event continued with David Macário from ERT Têxtil presenting a case study on automotive applications, specifically addressing the journey from laminate materials to fully developed composite solutions in the automotive sector.

This was complemented by Frederico Ribeiro from Adamastor, who offered insights into the optimization and application of these composites in high-performance supercars. A notable example of local innovation was discussed by Emre Ozgunes of CarbonTeam, who discussed the role of Portuguese manufacturing in producing advanced composites for bicycles, underscoring the global relevance of national capabilities.

After the presentations, the audience joined a panel discussion moderated by Judith Bosch, featuring all the event speakers. Together, they shared perspectives on the key challenges and opportunities in the sector. The session concluded with a Q&A, providing space for direct engagement between attendees and speakers, and encouraging further discussion of the topics covered.