Shaping a Digital Ecosystem: KEYSTONE Consortium Meets in Athens, Greece
On 2 and 3 December 2024, KEYSTONE partners united for a Steering Committee meeting after the project reached its midway point. The event took place at the headquarters of Aethon Engineering, a KEYSTONE project partner, in Athens, Greece.
During the two-day event, representatives from all partner organisations reflected on progress, shared updates, celebrated milestones, and coordinated the next steps in advancing the project’s innovative solutions for building a digital ecosystem for the transport and logistics sector.
The meeting kicked off with an overview of the project, delivered by Mrs Giulia Renzi from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE), the project coordinator of the KEYSTONE project, highlighting significant milestones and achievements.
WP1 - Gap Analysis and State of the Art
Zoe Petrakou (Aethon Engineering) & Fabrizio Camisetti (RINA) presenting updates from WP2.
Dr Alexeis Garcia Perez provided an overview of Work Package 1 (WP), which was led by Coventry University and concluded in May 2024 (M12). Dr Alexeis Garcia presented the findings of the first stakeholder survey, which gathered more than 315 participants across 20 European countries, resulting in 131 fully completed surveys. The findings of the survey provided significant insights and built a solid foundation for understanding the stakeholder's needs and aligning them with the project's future activities.
WP2 - Development of the Plug & Play Framework
Mrs Zoe Petrakou from Aethon Engineering presented updates on WP2, which is focused on the development of the Plug & Play Framework. During the presentation, key achievements were highlighted, including the delivery of the API Reference Model Framework and the definition of the Plug & Play API model for system interoperability. Mrs Petrakou outlined the API Development Plan and some upcoming steps, such as the close collaboration with CIM-Interporto di Novara and Gruber Logistics, two KEYSTONE project partners, on the API documentation. Finally, Mr Fabrizio Camisetti from RINA provided an update on the methodologies developed for evaluating the business model.
WP3 - Towards Plug &Play Implementation
Presentation of the mock-up design of the KEYSTONE web app.
Mr Jesús Martinez Cuadrado, representing Etelätär Innovation, the leader of WP3, showcased a mock-up design of the KEYSTONE web app, featuring functionalities such as inspection alerts and a daily overview. All partners had the opportunity to contribute with their feedback and brainstorm on enhancing the app’s features and design. The next steps, as stated, include finalising the UI/UX design and realising internal testing to ensure a user-friendly and efficient tool for the market.
WP4 - Piloting
Mr Fabrizio Borgogna from Gruber Logistics gave a comprehensive update on WP4, focusing on the pilot activities. He highlighted the launch of a second questionnaire aimed at enforcement authorities and shared plans for three transport trials, including one involving integration with eCRM at the Port of La Spezia. A key milestone discussed was that KEYSTONE is set to become the first interoperable digital intermodal platform in Italy, a huge step forward for the European logistics sector.
WP5 - Evaluation & Impact Assessment
Mr Paulo Cantillano from the Interuniversity Consortium for Optimization and Operations Research (ICOOR) provided an overview of the work completed so far in WP5. He explained that evaluation managers have now been appointed for each use case and outlined the evaluation framework, which covers four key areas: i) stakeholder engagement and scenarios, ii) operational performance, iii) cost-effectiveness analysis, and v) environmental and social impact metrics. This framework will guide the project evaluation activities, ensuring that KEYSTONE delivers practical, ethical, and impactful digital solutions.
WP6 - Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation
Mrs Eftychia Koliou, representing Smart Transportation Alliance, shared updates on the communication and dissemination activities, which have already surpassed the project’s Key Performance Indicators. The participants were also introduced to the two tasks that kicked off in M18, namely the Exploitation & IPR Management, which focuses on developing exploitation strategies for future commercial deployment, and the Market Uptake, which includes a Blue Ocean Analysis and the Ten Types of Innovation framework, to identify competitors and the potential market opportunities. Mrs Brikena Kollici from Cefriel provided updates on stakeholder engagement, noting that 28 stakeholders across Europe, spanning all relevant industries, are now actively involved.
The Steering Committee meeting showcased the collaborative spirit and commitment of the KEYSTONE consortium. Two days filled with great energy, strong collaboration and a shared vision for the months ahead!
Stay tuned for exciting updates in the New Year!
In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to our KEYSTONE In Action Newsletter to receive the latest news and updates directly in your inbox.
Author: Eftychia Koliou, Smart Transportation Alliance (STA)