SMART Automation Austria
SMART Automation AUSTRIA is Austria’s leading trade fair for industrial automation. It brings together technology providers, manufacturers, researchers, and decision-makers to showcase innovations in automation, digitization, and smart production. The event serves as a key platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and exploring the future of industrial transformation.
At SMART Automation AUSTRIA 2025, Austria’s premier industrial automation trade fair, held on May 22, 2025 in Linz, Joachim Fabini participated as a research representative in a high-level panel discussion on “Cybersecurity in Industry – Is Europe Becoming a Digital Colony?”.
Hosted in the Kongresssaal of the Design Center Linz, the session featured lightning talks and a panel discussion with leading figures from industry and academia. Dr. Fabini contributed insights on Europe’s digital dependence, the challenges of securing industrial environments, and the role of cyber resilience in maintaining digital sovereignty across European manufacturing and critical infrastructure.
The panel tackled strategic questions regarding:
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Reducing reliance on non-European technologies
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Strengthening cybersecurity in interconnected production systems
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Aligning IT and OT security practices
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Building the capabilities needed to remain competitive and sovereign in a digital future
The event highlighted that cybersecurity is no longer a back-office issue but a boardroom priority, vital for ensuring Europe’s long-term industrial competitiveness.
