Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) are fundamentally changing how we live, learn, innovate, and produce. They are essential for solving major societal challenges and form the core of sustainable economic growth and European technological sovereignty. In the Southern Netherlands and Flanders, many innovative SMEs are active in these domains, but they often lack sufficient access to the advanced knowledge and skills to grow in these areas. Support is essential to maintain and strengthen their competitiveness.

The Einstein Telescope (ET) is a world-class European research project that brings together many key enabling technologies. The observatory is being developed to detect gravitational waves with unprecedented precision, with the aim of gaining fundamental insights into the structure and origin of the universe. In addition to scientific breakthroughs, the ET also offers significant economic added value: the project requires an investment of over €2.5 billion and creates broad opportunities for technological innovation, employment, and knowledge development. The potential construction site for this observatory falls within the program area.

The impact on the regional economy within the program area is potentially enormous. Not only high-tech companies, but also sectors such as construction, logistics, installation technology, and maintenance can secure contracts. Educational institutions will respond to the increasing demand for technical talent. To fully benefit from these developments, timely preparation is essential.

At the same time, both Flanders and the Southern Netherlands are facing a growing shortage of technically skilled personnel. The demand for skills in mechatronics, photonics, data analysis, and precision engineering, among other fields, exceeds the supply at all educational levels. This shortage threatens not only the innovative capacity of individual companies but also the broader economic development of the region. Without targeted efforts to build technological skills, crucial opportunities surrounding the ET – and other key projects – risk being lost to the region.

As a precursor to the Einstein Telescope, the ETPathfinder laboratory was built in Maastricht, co-funded by the Interreg Flanders-Netherlands program. This R&D center serves as an experimental testing ground for key technologies. Although ETPathfinder does not detect gravitational waves, it forms the technological foundation on which the ET will be built. Yet, it appears that many companies struggle to access the accumulated knowledge and infrastructure. This is the impetus for the ETPathfinder Smart Skills Lab.