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Scaling Impact: UNIDO Highlights AI and Skills for Inclusive Industry at Hannover Messe 2025

Hannover, Germany,31 March-02 April 2025 – As the world’s leading industrial technology fair convened in Hannover for Hannover Messe 2025 (HM25), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) showcased its strategic vision for shaping the future of smart, sustainable, and inclusive industry through artificial intelligence (AI), digital innovation, and industrial skills development.

During the flagship Global Executive Industry Talks (GETIT) hosted in collaboration with Deutsche Messe Technology Academy and the International Centre for Industrial Transformation (INCIT), UNIDO brought together innovators, policymakers, and technology leaders to discuss the transformative role of AI and digitalisation in driving the global digital economy.

“AI, skills, and smart manufacturing are not future trends—they are now the engines of industrial competitiveness and sustainability,” said Jason Slater, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at UNIDO. “This week, we’ve seen how scalable digital solutions and multi-stakeholder partnerships can redefine industrial development, particularly for emerging economies.”

UNIDO’s sessions highlighted real-world applications of digital transformation across sectors and geographies. Key engagements included high-level dialogues with FESTO and Deutsche Messe Technology Academy (DMTA) on aligning industrial education systems with the skills demands of Industry 4.0—through remote training platforms, AI-driven learning, and digital equipment access.

A spotlight was also placed on the “Towards an Industry 4.0 in Tunisia” initiative—an innovative collaboration between Tunisia’s Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mines, GIZ, and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The initiative is enabling Tunisia’s industrial base to become more competitive and digitally enabled, by building smart factory ecosystems, creating new digital jobs, and strengthening climate-smart productivity.

UNIDO deepened its collaboration with global technology leaders during #HM25, engaging in strategic discussions with Capgemini, Huawei, and SupplyzPro on advancing AI-driven industrial solutions, resilient data infrastructures, and scalable smart manufacturing platforms. These partnerships aim to support governments and enterprises—particularly in the Global South—with tangible tools to build modern, agile, and sustainable industrial systems.

The GETIT Pavilion, anchored by #EspressoNetworking, became a vibrant hub where ideas sparked into partnerships, and where innovators from across sectors explored the future of AI-powered industry, sustainability, and inclusive transformation.

“We believe in proving what works; locally, tangibly, and collaboratively,” said Mr Slater. “Whether it’s smart agriculture in Africa, or smart manufacturing in North Africa, our focus remains on turning pilots into platforms and ideas into action.”

UNIDO reaffirms its commitment to advancing inclusive and sustainable industrial development through digital transformation, and calls on global partners to extend their collaboration beyond Hannover Messe. The path to a smarter, greener industrial future begins with bold partnerships and shared innovation.

 For more information  

Contact: aim-global@unido.org 

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