(BRUSSELS)
The European Innovation Summit has firmly established itself as the continent’s premier cross-sectoral industry and policy event.
The five-day Summit in Brussels, held last week, calls for innovation to be placed at the heart of policy decisions made at political level. Organised by Knowledge4Innovation, it brings together politicians, startups, entrepreneurs and investors working to achieve that ambition.
The Summit also added a new startup platform this year, with the launch of its EU Top 50 Millennial Startups competition. Pitching their ideas to European leaders from the worlds of business, finance, and politics, the 50 startups impressed with solutions to some of society’s most pressing challenges.
Bertrand Piccard, co-founder and CEO of Solar Impulse Foundation, attended the startup day and told the young innovators to dream big and take on the toughest challenges, even if they seem impossible.
“It is precisely because something hasn’t been done before that you have to try. If you want to change the world, find the paradigm that’s blocking your way and abolish it,” he said.
Collaboration
A series of lively debates at the Summit focused on the impact and opportunities created by global innovation megatrends, including artificial intelligence, big data, the bioeconomy, megacities, regenerative medicine and cybersecurity.
And in an open exchange of knowledge, skills and ideas; the central role collaboration has to play in capitalising on the new landscape being forged by the age of acceleration became a recurring theme.
“Together, we are stronger. The most beneficial way to achieve success is to build an innovation ecosystem which can provide advantageous opportunities to engage, connect and learn from each other,” said Victor Negrescu, the Minister Delegate for European Affairs of Romania.
10th Anniversary
Preparations are already well underway for next year’s landmark 10th anniversary European Innovation Summit and all innovation stakeholders are invited to connect and get involved in shaping the future of Europe.
