Europe's Hardware Renaissance: The Role of Engineering Tools in Industrial Sovereignty

The European Union’s Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), introduced earlier this year, seeks to increase local production of technologies and industrial goods. While Europe has historically excelled in funding research and early-stage deep tech, it has lagged in creating domestic markets for these innovations. The IAA addresses this by promoting public procurement, but questions remain about how far upstream 'Made in EU' requirements should extend to truly strengthen industrial sovereignty. Christina Rebel, CEO of CAD ROOMS-a female-founded engineering collaboration platform-believes the IAA’s impact on engineering teams is often underestimated. Her company provides a cloud-based product data management system that allows distributed hardware teams to securely share and review CAD files without replacing their existing software. Rebel argues that if 'Made in EU' becomes a condition for public procurement, the focus must extend beyond the final product to include the tools used in its design and development. Currently, most engineering teams rely on US-hosted platforms for their entire product development process, storing critical CAD files, revisions, and intellectual property outside EU jurisdiction. Rebel warns that simply labeling a finished product as 'Made in EU' does not address these underlying vulnerabilities. ## From Open-Source Roots to Enterprise Solutions Rebel’s journey into engineering collaboration began over a decade ago, shaped by her international upbringing, including time in China, where she witnessed the globalisation of manufacturing. After studying politics and economics, she worked with startups before becoming fascinated by the maker movement’s open-source hardware designs. This led to the creation of Wikifactory in 2016, a platform akin to GitHub but for hardware engineering, which grew to serve 150,000 engineers worldwide. However, balancing open-source collaboration with commercial IP protection proved challenging. Recognising the need for secure, private product data management, Rebel and her team launched CAD ROOMS, an end-to-end encrypted platform that supports interoperability across different CAD tools. The company has since achieved ISO certification and attracted enterprise clients, many of whom begin with pilot programs to modernise their outdated systems. ## Modernising Engineering Collaboration Rebel contends that engineers have been underserved by modern software, often relying on outdated, siloed systems. She highlights the need for interoperable tools that work across multiple CAD platforms, such as PTC Creo, SOLIDWORKS, or CATIA, without requiring costly, time-consuming implementations. CAD ROOMS aims to simplify collaboration, allowing non-CAD users to participate in design reviews and ensuring seamless integration with modern tools like Altium for electronic engineers. The platform also addresses challenges in simulation and cross-disciplinary work, where legacy systems often fail to keep pace with newer technologies. Rebel notes that Europe’s strong industrial clusters provide opportunities for startups, but outdated tools can introduce errors, delays, and inefficiencies. By solving these problems, CAD ROOMS helps newer companies reduce friction and compete more effectively. ## Funding Gaps and Supply Chain Challenges Despite Europe’s strengths in research, Rebel observes frustration among hardware startups due to regulatory constraints and limited access to early-stage funding. While initiatives like EU Inc. aim to foster European companies, practical barriers remain. She points out that hardware startups often need modest investments-€20,000 to €50,000-to reach their first prototype, but securing this capital can be difficult. Supply chain diversification, particularly in electronics, poses another hurdle. Rebel notes that while components like enclosures can be manufactured locally, core electronic parts are often unavailable in Europe or priced uncompetitively. This forces startups to source from outside the EU for early prototypes, even if they plan to shift production locally later. China’s integrated manufacturing ecosystem, with its proximity of suppliers and expertise, remains a formidable competitor. Rebel concludes that Europe must address these challenges to achieve true hardware sovereignty, ensuring that 'Made in EU' extends from the factory floor to the earliest stages of design and collaboration.