The world has a few problems it needs to solve. And while there are no silver bullet solutions to the challenges being created by runaway climate change, it is in the area of innovation that the most exciting prospects can be found.
“We can develop a European Innovation Area which offers equal access to funding and where startups in one country can easily bid for public contracts in another.”
Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation
Which makes the trajectory of the nascent European Innovation Area (EIA) so critical. Because Europe’s push to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent by the middle of the century will rely on innovation being given the freedom to do its thing.
Creating the space for this freedom is the goal of the EIA, to develop an ecosystem Dr Roland Strauss, co-founder of Knowledge4Innovation (K4I), the organisers of this month’s inaugural EIA Summit, says can be a “single market for innovation” geared to delivering a climate-neutral Europe.
The summit, taking place in the European Parliament in Brussels and online, 27-30 June, will bring together the MEPs, innovators, academics, corporations, organisations and startups with the biggest stake in ensuring the European Innovation Area is a success.
“The EIA initiative is about strengthening innovation ecosystems at the local, regional and national levels and better connecting them across Europe,” Dr Strauss says. “What we want in essence is a single market for innovation that can accelerate the types of solutions we need to become a climate-neutral continent by 2050.”
And the EIA summit being organised by the K4I Forum in the European Parliament is an open invite to anyone who wants to have a say in this.
“I invite you to be a big part of this journey towards creating a European Innovation Area,” Dr Strauss added. “And the simplest way you can do it is by going to our event website and signing the EIA Manifesto, as this will secure your invitation to the summit.”
Innovators Magazine is a media partner with the EIA Summit – and you can sign up for our newsletter for all the build-up.
