Review
How the Industrial Metaverse is shaping Industry 5.0
15. August 2025
Europa
Automatisierung
Digitalisierung
Understanding the Industrial Metaverse
The Industrial Metaverse is a dynamic digital ecosystem powered by cutting-edge technologies, including digital twins, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing. These tools allow manufacturers to simulate, test, and optimise entire production environments before any physical implementation. This approach significantly reduces risk, shortens time to market, and lowers operational costs.
It facilitates real-time, cross-border collaboration, enhances data-driven decision-making, and increases flexibility and responsiveness to change. Through immersive digital environments, organisations can manage complexity more effectively and unlock new opportunities for value creation across the industrial lifecycle.
AlessioGugliotta
Communication Officer
EIT Manufacturing
AlessioGugliotta
Senior Program Manager
EIT Manufacturing
Driving innovation through use cases
The impact of the Industrial Metaverse is already evident through various projects supported by EIT Manufacturing. These initiatives demonstrate how immersive technology can enhance competitiveness, improve safety, and foster a more sustainable manufacturing ecosystem.
AMPLI, developed in partnership with Beko and ESI Group, leverages augmented reality to reduce training time, increase machine availability, and minimise defects in plastics manufacturing. The project demonstrates how immersive tools can address productivity and quality challenges simultaneously.
ARTOM focuses on XR-based training and maintenance solutions in the metal-forming sector. Simulating complex operations in a safe and cost-efficient way helps operators become proficient without disrupting production.
UPRAISE, funded by the European Union and set to commence in late 2025, addresses digital skills shortages in the Virtual Worlds economy. It offers modular and personalised education programmes on XR, AI, blockchain, digital twins, and sustainable innovation, tailored to the needs of industry.
Extending Industry 5.0 through XR training
To showcase how XR can enhance learning and knowledge transfer, EIT Manufacturing is a member of the XR2Learn consortium. Among the first cohort of the open call winning projects:
PaperXR developed an XR training solution that replicates printing production procedures in highly realistic environments. It addresses the skill needs of both new employees and experienced workers seeking to upskill. By enabling virtual prototyping, it reduces the use of paper and ink, supporting environmental goals while maintaining operator safety.
XR4HRC (Extended Reality for Human-Robot Collaboration) integrates XR into vocational training and robotics quality control. Using synthetic data and machine learning, it boosts anomaly detection and fault tolerance, ensuring safer and more efficient human–robot interactions.
XR2IND delivers an innovative, user-friendly XR-AI chat training application. It combines extended reality with artificial intelligence to offer a personalised, inclusive, and trustworthy learning experience that aligns with Industry 5.0 values.
Safety and circularity in focus
As the industry evolves, ensuring a safe and healthy working environment is paramount. The EVR-OSH-5 project develops advanced VR training modules for occupational safety and health (OSH). Its three core goals include:
A VR application for safe work-at-height training
A preventive maintenance simulation for emergency scenarios
A multi-user monitoring system that allows trainers to assess several trainees at once
In parallel, X-DE-MAN supports the circular economy by providing XR-based training in the de-manufacturing of consumer electronics. The immersive training environment reduces human error and promotes sustainable practices, aligning with both industrial and environmental objectives. A recent interview with an expert, published on the XR2Learn forum, provides more insight into how XR will change the future of the learning process and education.
Innovation through diversity: empowering women entrepreneurs in deep tech manufacturing
In the age of Industry 5.0, innovation thrives on diversity, particularly in the Industrial Metaverse, where inclusive leadership is reshaping how we design, build, and connect across digital and physical environments.
The Women Tech EU Project supports a dynamic cohort of women entrepreneurs who are transforming the deep tech ecosystem in a gender-balanced and forward-thinking way. These innovators are redefining what's possible in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and beyond.
A standout among the cohort is SensiVR Health, which leverages industrial metaverse technologies to transform pediatric therapy. By combining XR, AI, and biofeedback, SensiVR develops immersive virtual environments that enable therapists to deliver remote, personalised care for children with motor disorders like Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia. Their innovative approach enhances access to treatment in rural regions and supports the shift toward hybrid healthcare models.
This project exemplifies how women-led innovation in the industrial metaverse is driving a meaningful impact in advanced technology, reshaping industries with inclusivity at the core of this transformation.
Towards a resilient and inclusive future
As the manufacturing sector navigates rapid digitalisation, supply chain volatility, and the evolving demands of sustainability and workforce transformation, the Industrial Metaverse offers a robust set of tools to respond with agility and foresight, representing a turning point in the transformation of manufacturing.
EIT Manufacturing is committed to unlocking unprecedented potential to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the global competitiveness of the European manufacturing sector, through the deployment of advanced digital tools, such as digital twins, extended reality (XR), and AI-driven simulations, empower the workforce with design-driven innovation skills focused on safety, inclusivity, and collaboration. By preparing individuals for a digitally integrated and socially sustainable future,
The transition to Industry 5.0 demands more than technological advancement. It calls for shared responsibility, cross-sector learning, and a commitment to sustainability and social impact. Through immersive technologies and human-centric design, EIT Manufacturing is helping shape a future where innovation is ethical, resilient, and deeply connected to European values. Actual opportunities lie in collaborative ecosystems, where industrial players, researchers, technology providers, and institutions can shape solutions that are not only efficient but also inclusive, safe, and human-centred.
The transition to Industry 5.0 requires more than just technological advancement: it calls for shared responsibility, cross-sector learning, and a commitment to designing digital tools that genuinely serve people. By fostering dialogue, experimentation, and practical innovation, the European industrial ecosystem can shape a future where immersive technologies empower rather than replace human creativity and collaboration. This is an open invitation to rethink how we train, work, and innovate together.
Creating a strong community and a human-centred innovation ecosystem
EIT Manufacturing South recognised the transformative potential of the Industrial Metaverse at an early stage. To structure this exploration, a dedicated Thematic Working Group (TWG) was launched, bringing together stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to identify responsible and practical applications of immersive technologies.
This work was spotlighted during the 2023 edition of the World Manufacturing Forum, where EIT Manufacturing South hosted the flagship event "The Industrial Metaverse Revolution: Shaping Future Business Models and Policies in Manufacturing." Representatives from Siemens, Brembo, and the European Commission exchanged perspectives on how the Industrial Metaverse is reshaping value chains and innovation governance. In the following years, EIT Manufacturing South continued its efforts to champion the importance of the industrial metaverse, organising further events and initiatives to both raise awareness and gather valuable input on emerging technological and application developments. This ongoing engagement has ensured that the community remains at the forefront of innovation, adapting to new trends and fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas.
Beyond individual projects, EIT Manufacturing South fosters change through community platforms and learning networks. A key initiative is AGORA, a digital collaboration space that connects researchers, startups, corporates, and professionals in advanced manufacturing and immersive tech. It offers curated content, use cases, and co-creation opportunities. Join today at agora-eitmanufacturing.eu.
Additionally, the EIT Manufacturing Academy deliver flexible and industry-aligned upskilling and reskilling programmes. These are co-designed with academic and industrial partners, ensuring relevance and practical impact. To start your training or contact us, learn more at eitmanufacturingacademy.eu.
The Thematic Working Group on Industrial Metaverse also hosts open roundtables and co-design sessions, assisting companies in developing responsible strategies for Metaverse adoption. The organisation supports startups in fields such as robotics, XR, AI, and predictive analytics through mentoring, pilot projects, access to funding, and international networking. Become a member of the Industrial Metaverse Thematic Working Group and enter EIT Manufacturing's Partner Network: eitmanufacturing.eu/who-we-are/partner-network.
