CROSS-BORDER ASSESSMENT OF THE BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM SPECIALIZED IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

In this paper, a prospective investigation is conducted using open sources on organizations benefiting from additive manufacturing in the cross-border region between western Spain and northern Portugal. This work aims to assess business specialization within the framework of this Industry 4.0 technology in two areas affected by depopulation and deindustrialization processes. The adopted methodology includes a systematic search based on predefined criteria, followed by a quantitative analysis based on three stratification factors: company size, business objectives, and geographic location. Additionally, a qualitative and heuristic analysis of open information from key organizations and their relationship with regional socio-economic development is carried out. Keywords: Smart Specialization, Additive Manufacturing, Regional Development, New Materials.