Prof. Stelian Brad

telian Brad is President of Cluj IT Cluster and Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Robotics and Production Management at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. His work brings together artificial intelligence, cognitive and industrial robotics, innovation engineering, digital transformation and Industry 5.0, with a strong focus on transforming emerging technologies into practical industrial and societal value.

Throughout his academic and ecosystem leadership career, he has coordinated interdisciplinary research and innovation initiatives while strengthening collaboration between universities, industry and technology ecosystems. His work supports responsible innovation, technology transfer and entrepreneurship, as well as the development of more competitive European digital and manufacturing ecosystems. His current academic activity also covers artificial intelligence for robotics, industrial IoT and Industry 4.0, while his recent research addresses AI-assisted innovation in the context of Industry 5.0.

At FACTORY 4.0 Conference 2026, Stelian Brad will participate in Panel 3 – AI-Driven Robotics & Intelligent Automation: From Data to Competitive Advantage, bringing an academic, technological and innovation-ecosystem perspective to the discussion. He will explore how AI and intelligent robotics can move beyond isolated technology applications and become part of integrated industrial systems that transform data into smarter decisions, greater adaptability and sustainable competitive advantage.