The North-West Regional Development Agency (North-West RDA) participated in EXPO REAL 2026 for the first time, joining one of Europe's leading international trade fairs for real estate and investment, held on October 5–7 in Munich, Germany. The agency was represented at the Transylvania Evolution stand, alongside public authorities, companies, and organizations working to advance economic development in Cluj and Romania's North-West Region. Now in its 13th consecutive year at EXPO REAL, Transylvania Evolution once again brought together regional partners to showcase investment opportunities, strategic infrastructure projects, and developments in the industrial, logistics, and urban sectors across Transylvania. For North-West RDA, the event was an opportunity to introduce international investors and potential partners to the initiatives through which the agency supports investment attraction and helps build a more competitive regional business environment. Showcasing the Region's 17 Smart Specialisation Parks During the event, Adrian Răulea and Anca Roman, representing North-West RDA, presented the network of 17 Smart Specialisation Parks across Romania's North-West Region, developed to provide businesses with the infrastructure and conditions needed to invest in innovative economic activities. The presentation went beyond available land and infrastructure, highlighting how these parks can help create a more connected industrial and innovation ecosystem, bringing together businesses, public authorities, and support organizations to attract and facilitate new investments. The team also introduced SPark – the Regional Alliance of Smart Specialisation Parks, an initiative led by North-West RDA to bring together developers and managers of industrial and innovation parks across the region. Through SPark, the agency aims to strengthen collaboration, coordinate the promotion of investment opportunities, and develop a more coherent regional investment offering. Rather than promoting each park separately, the alliance encourages a shared approach that can attract higher-value investments and create long-term opportunities for businesses. Exploring the Potential of Agro-Industrial Parks On the second day of EXPO REAL, Anna Șargov, representing North-West RDA, presented the development potential of agro-industrial parks and the agency's collaboration with the World Bank on a project focused on this sector. The initiative aims to support local producers by connecting agricultural production with the infrastructure, services, and partnerships needed to process products, grow businesses, and expand into new markets. The presentation highlighted the importance of an integrated approach to agro-industrial development, where infrastructure investments are aligned with producers' needs and the region's wider economic opportunities. Building Connections and Learning from Other European Regions Beyond presenting regional projects, EXPO REAL provided an opportunity for the North-West RDA team to exchange ideas with representatives of other European regions, public authorities, investors, and professionals working in investment attraction and economic development. These conversations offered valuable insights into different approaches to developing and promoting investment opportunities, while also opening the door to potential future collaborations. The agency's first participation in EXPO REAL reinforced the importance of presenting the North-West Region through a shared regional vision — one that goes beyond available investment sites to highlight infrastructure, strategic projects, innovation capacity, and the partnerships that support business development. By joining EXPO REAL 2026 alongside its Transylvania Evolution partners, North-West RDA took another step towards strengthening the international visibility of investment opportunities in Romania's North-West Region.