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12th European Innovation Summit

From 7 – 11 December 2020, the Knowledge for Innovation Forum will take the pulse of Europe’s innovation ecosystem as policy makers, scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and startups will engage in the 12th edition of the European Innovation Summit

For over a decade, K4l has stressed the importance of innovation to solve major problems.

Now more than ever, we not only need a robust innovation policy, but a set of policies that rely on innovation in all domains. The Summit in December entitled “Towards a European Innovation Area” will discuss how research and innovation stakeholders will support the green and digital transition in joining forces from across Europe.

The programme of the 12 EIS is covering a broad range of topics that relate to major recently launched policy initiatives and the imminent launch of Horizon Europe:

  • Innovation Policy
  • Horizon Europe / European Partnerships
  • AI & Big Data for Innovation
  • Greening Europe
  • Digital Transition
  • Women Investors and Women-Led Startups

In addition to Plenary sessions, there will be panel discussions organised by European Partnerships, and more specific topics will be addressed on the initiative of K4I members and summit partners.

We are happy to announce that Ms Mariya GabrielCommissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, confirmed her participation for the Opening Ceremony on 7 December, 18:00.

In a letter to K4I, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote “The European Commission is eager to work with the Knowledge4Innovation Forum on strategic areas, where research and innovation acts as a powerful catalyst of Europe’s recovery.

If you are an innovation stakeholder interested to organise a meetings and/or participate in one or the other panel session, please send us a email at k4i@knowledge4innovation.eu  and let’s discuss how your organisation could best actively engage in the 12 EIS programme.

Disclaimer: Please note that the programme and speakers’ list are subject to change and updates are made continuously

Twin Green and Digital Transition
  • 7 December 2020 09:00-10:00
    Twin Green and Digital Transition

    The session will focus on clean/green innovations as the cornerstone of future sustainable industries and how activities on the European, national, regional and local levels can be better aligned

From Knowledge to Innovation and Market Creation
  • 7 December 2020 10:45-12:00
    From Knowledge to Innovation and Market Creation

    The session will examine what still needs to be done to close Europe’s innovation gap and improve impact through increased speed and efficiency of Europe’s innovation ecosystems

Regulation of Emerging Technologies
  • 7 December 2020 11:30-12:30
    Regulation of Emerging Technologies

    The session will scrutinize legislative barriers to innovation activities and what framework conditions are needed to thrive innovation in Europe. It will in particular look at a single market for VC and Business Angels as well as into prospects for a single entity for startups

A Discussion with Commissioner Gabriel on the European Innovation Area
The Future of Work and Digitalisation of the European Innovation Area
Fund allocation and criteria to increase the funding going to women-led VC funds, startups and innovative businesses do we need quotas of which criteria should apply to drive change
How to identify and overcome the root, cultural causes and the access to capital by Women led VCs and Women led businesses
European Synthetic Cell Research and Industrial Innovation
Increasing the role and impact of women inside innovation ecosystems
Awards ceremony dedicated to Women entrepreneurs, Women investors and Women led VCs
Microbiome, Big Data & Artificial Intelligence: Future is Now. What’s Next
European Leadership in Human-Centred, Trustworthy AI: The Path Forward
The role of early-career professionals in driving sustainable innovation
AI for the Public or Common Good
Mikulás Peska
MEP, ITRE Committee, Greens, Czechia
Karen Melchior
MEP, JURI Committee, Renew Europe, Denmark
Kanira Shah
Antwerp Satellite Manager, EIT Digital
Juha Heikkila
Head of Unit Robotics and Artificial Intelligencem DG CONNECT
Jean-David Malo
EIC Task Force Director of DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
Jean-Christophe Baret
Professor, Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS
Javier García-Martínez - EIA Events Speakers
President-Elect, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
Ilse Bakker - Infinium
Consultant at Nextwave-Infinium & Analyst & Project Manager at Nicoya Capital
Iarla Kilbane-Dawe - EIA Events Speakers
UK Government Office for Artificial Intelligence
Helena Torras
Managing Partner at PaoCapital
Hans De Canck
Manager - AI Experience Centre / AI for the Common Good
Hadewych Cels
Owner, Karmijn Kapitaal
Frédéric Pivetta
Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Dalberg Data Insights
Esther Thole
Science journalist and writer
Elianne Oei
Co-Founder, Epic Hub
Corinne Vigreux
Co-Founder, TomTom
Christina Calje
Co-Founder, Autheos
Charlotte Stix
PhD Researcher, Fellow, Eindhoven & Cambridge Universities
Carol Tarr
Fellow Included VC and Professor at Nyenrode Business Universiteit
Holger Hoos
Chair of the Board of Directors; Professor of Machine Learning, CLAIRE; Leiden University
Alessia Centioni - EIA Events Speakers
EWA Co-founder and president, European Women Alliance EWA
Viorel Peca
Head of Unit, European Commission
Ulrich Schuh - EIA Events Speakers
President, Eureka
Tobias Erb - EIA Events Speakers
Director and Head of the Department at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology
Tina Kleingarn
Founder, Westend Corporate Finance
Tamara Obradov - EIA Events Speakers
Partner VC Tablomonto and Co-initiation #fundrigth mission in the Netherlands
Stefan Drüssler
Chief Operating Officer, UnternehmerTUM
Stef Denayer
Stakeholder Relations Manager for Pilots4U at Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant
Solvita Kostjukova - EIA Events Speakers
Co-Founder, CEO, ALINA LLC
Silvia Manca - EIA Events Speakers
Head of Social Impact Programmes, European Investment Fund (EIF)
Shiva Dustdar - EIA Events Speakers
Head of Division Innovation Finance Advisory, EIB
Seán Kelly
MEP, ITRE Committee, EPP, Ireland, Member of the K4I Forum
Pilar Manchón
Senior Director of Research Strategy, GoogleAI at Google
Patrizia Luchetta
Co-founder, Another Level Creative Group
Nakeema Stefflbauer
CEO, FrauenLoop, Included VC Fellow
Morten Irgens - EIA Events Speakers
Dean, CDO, Oslo Metropolitan University Kristiania University College, CLAIRE
Michela Bianco
Prevot Microbiome & AI Programme, ARCHES
Melissa Romero
Tech Entrepreneur, Co-Founder & Chair at Lean In
Maria Mauel Leitao Marques - EIA Events Speakers
MEP, Chair of the IMCO, S&D, Portugal
Laura Rodriguez Gallego
Principal, Invivo Capital
Kinga Stanislavska
Founder, European Women in VC
Khaleelah Jones
Founder and CEO, Careful Feet Digital
Kelly Keenan
Private investor
Karel Van De Velde
Senior Sustainability Manager, BASF
Anna Michelle Asimakopoulou
MEP and Vice-Chair of the INTA, EPP, Greece
Victor Negrescu
MEP, Vice-Chair of the CULT, S&D, Romania, Member of the K4I Forum
Willem Jonker
CEO , EIT Digital
Brando Benifei
MEP, IMCO Committee, S&D, Italy, Member of the K4I Forum
Lina Gálvez Muñoz
MEP, Vice-Chair of the ITRE, S&D, Spain, Member of the K4I Forum
Susana Solís Pérez
MEP, REGI Committee, Renew Europe, Spain, Member of the K4I Forum
Tsvetelina Marinova Penkova
MEP, ITRE Committee, S&D, Bulgaria
Mariya Gabriel Profile Picture
EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth
Maria Da Graça Carvalho Profile Picture
MEP, ITRE Committee, EPP, Portugal, Chair of the K4I Forum
Bernd Schäfer
CEO, EIT RawMaterials
Photo of Tim Van Der Hagen - EIA Events Speakers
Rector Magnificus, President of the Executive Board, TU Delft

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