Fostering Innovation Cohesion

Speakers for this event

• Anu Manickam

  Anu Manickam

  PhD, Researcher Hanze UAS

  Anu Manickam, Specialist in Complexity and Systems Innovation in Regional Development at the Centre of Expertise - Entrepreneurship; member of development team realizing collaborative innovation spaces in local and regional communities. Contribution on: Engaged in the Region - case of the Innovation Food Hub Moving students and applied research off-campus into Innovation Spaces focussed on local challenges with local businesses, government and civic organizations work together FoodInnovation Hub: question of how to improve business prospects of local farmers and other agri-food businesses emerged from open sessions in the area; Students at Hanze worked on various aspects of this; results served the immediate businesses but led to a larger regional issue of need for innovation in the sector; two different aspects emerged: the need for a regional chain 'Food Factory' with shorter and local supply chains new types of businesses, knowledge, collaborations and business models needed Launch of Food Innovation Hub, September 2021. Municipality, HEI, VET, farmers, banks, other businesses supported by area cooperative Approach to 'Engaged' (book) describes the methodology how we engage in the region - will be made available

  PhD, Researcher Hanze UAS

• Bernd Schäfer

  Bernd Schäfer

  CEO, EIT RawMaterials

  Bernd Schäfer has extensive business experience. Prior to his recent role as CEO/Managing Director at apt Group, leading European supplier of extruded, anodised and processed aluminium products, he was the VP Commercial, Global Commercial Transportation and Industrial in Alcoa. His area of accountability included global market responsibility as well as execution of the innovation and technology roadmap in close cooperation with R&D. Mr Schäfer was a Board Member with the Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie (the trade association of the aluminium industry) and the Wirtschaftsvereinigung Metalle (the umbrella of metal producing companies in Germany) until 2020.

  CEO, EIT RawMaterials

• Dimitri Corpakis

  Dimitri Corpakis

  Friends of Smart Specialisation

  Dimitri Corpakis, is an independent expert, writing and talking on innovation, growth and technological change. An engineer and planner by training, he has more than 30 years’ experience on the European integration process. Dimitri worked extensively for the European Commission in Brussels as well as for the Greek civil service. His work experience spans many policy areas including Education and Training, Information and Communication Technologies, Social Sciences and Humanities, and Regional Innovation Ecosystems with an emphasis on interactions and synergies between the Union’s Research and Innovation and Cohesion Policies (European Structural and Investment Funds). Prior to retiring from the European Commission, Dimitri led the Unit on the Regional Dimension of Innovation managing the legacy 7th Framework Programme actions on “Regions of Knowledge” (that he created in 2003) and “Research Potential”, building links with the Union's Cohesion Policy, with a strong focus on developing Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3); ensuring the Commission’s link with the Joint Programming Initiative on “Urban Europe” and launching the ground-breaking actions on closing the innovation divide (Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation - Teaming, Twinning and ERA Chairs). As of 2018, Dimitri co-founded FoSS (Friends of Smart Specialisation) an informal advocacy group. Dimitri is a member of the International Triple Helix Association, a Fellow of the Regional Studies Association (RSA) and a Senior Research Fellow of the South East European Research Centre (SEERC) a research centre of CITY College, University of York Europe Campus. Dimitri can be reached at d.corpakis@gmail.com (see also https://about.me/dimitri_corpakis). He is also active on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/dimitricorpakis ) and on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DimitriCorpakis ).

  Friends of Smart Specialisation

• Fabrizio Porrino

  Fabrizio Porrino

  Head of Secretariat, EU Unicorns Group

  Fabrizio Porrino is the proud Dad of a beautiful South African Princess and SVP Global Public Affairs at FacilityLive, the European Search Platform, as also global international media describe us. He is responsible for the global positioning of FacilityLive and a regular speaker at renowned international events. European Institutions like the European Commission and European Parliament and International Organizations like the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the OECD and the UN often invite me as an expert in digital, ICT, innovation, startups, tech and policy-making. Fabrizio is currently leading the Secretariat of the EU Unicorns Group launched by the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Coordinator of the Working Group on Financial Instruments of the Informal Group of Italian Research & Innovation EU Liaison Offices in Brussels (GIURI), Co-Chair and Member of the Board of the European e-Skills Association (EeSA), Member of the Steering Group of the European Tech Alliance (EUTA) and Member of the Italian Initiative Group (GII). In 2019 and 2020, I was responsible for the Presidency of the EUTA. In 2015 He was the Spokesperson for the launch event of the EUTA at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, under the auspices of the Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Single Market. He is a former Member of the Board of the European Internet Forum (EIF), the EUTA, the Italian Association for ICT (ANITEC) and the Steering Committee of the European Business Summit (EBS). Before joining FacilityLive, He worked for the Think Tank of the European Parliament, the European Commission, in the Silicon Docks in Ireland, Silicon Beach in California, and Italy’s historical IT capital. He is an Alumnus of the College of Europe (Italian Government scholarship), of Science Po Bordeaux (Erasmus scholarship) and the University of Turin (EDISU scholarship).

  Head of Secretariat, EU Unicorns Group

• Krzysztof Gulda

  Krzysztof Gulda

  Experienced Innovation Expert, Member of the H2020 Expert Group on support for the strategic coordinating process for partnerships at European Commission, Former Director in the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

  Krzysztof Gulda – physicist, entrepreneur, strategist in public and privet sector, consultant for international organizations and top consulting companies, who has gained unique, multidisciplinary experience in all sectors of the knowledge triangle. Major player in innovation and research policy in Poland from 2003 to 2012 as a Director in the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Science and Higher Education, responsible for strategy, reforms and support measures for innovation, research and higher education. Former vice-chair of the European Research Area and Innovation Committee (ERAC). From 2014 to 2016 member of the Science Policy Committee, an advisory body to the Minister of Science and Higher Education in Poland. From 2016 to 2020 Council Member of the National Centre for Research and Development in Poland. Since MSc degree in Physics and Postgraduate in IPR Management in close relation with University of Warsaw, organizer of the University Technology Transfer Centre, at present Board Member of the UWRC Ltd. – university SPV, established to support commercialization of research result, in particular through creation of spin-off companies. Expert in development of national and regional innovation strategies with strong focus on relations between innovation and other horizontal polices including research, entrepreneurship, intellectual property, and sustainable industrial policy. Specific areas of expertise cover academic entrepreneurship (start-up development, seed and vc capital, incubators), building business – academia relationship, innovations systems (from national, regional to networks and clusters) and open innovation. Former Polish delegate and active member of OECD Committee on Industry, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) and Committee on Scientific and Technology Policy (CSTP) – Board Member of Working Party on Technology and Innovation Policy (TIP). Former Chairman of United Nations Economic Committee for Europe Team of Specialist on Innovation and Competitiveness Policies (UN ECE - TOS ICP). Polish delegate to number of expert panels and working group of European Commission, ie. Enterprise Policy Group, R&D Tax Incentives, Innovation Policy Mix Review. At present member of the European Commission Expert Group on support for the strategic coordinating process for partnerships. Experienced consultant in the Eastern Partnerships countries, with projects in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova.

  Experienced Innovation Expert, Member of the H2020 Expert Group on support for the strategic coordinating process for partnerships at European Commission, Former Director in the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

• Lambert van Nistelrooij

  Lambert van Nistelrooij

  Former MEP and Honorary Member of K4I

  Lambert van Nistelrooij was Member of the European Parliament from 2004 till 2019. He has been focusing on regional policy, research, innovation, energy and the Digital Agenda. In 1978 Lambert was elected member of the local council and member of Dutch region of Noord-Brabant from 1991-2004. He became vice-governor of Noord-Brabant. He initiated Knowledge4Innovation (K4I) and is its honorary president. Currently Lambert is self-employed : www.vannistelrooijregional.nl He is member of the Noord-Brabant Hydrogen Coalition, Advisor to the Regional Stars Awards Jury (DG Regio), Advisor to the EIT on synergies between EU Funds, Participant in the Americas Competitiveness Exchange (OAS), Guest professor Normal University Beijing and member of the Board of Health Care institutions in the Netherlands. Activities as Member of the European Parliament: 2017: RAPPORTEUR on the Regulation for the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) Shadow RAPPORTEUR on the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) 2016: RAPPORTEUR on the report on investing in jobs and growth - maximising the contribution of European Structural and Investment Funds: an evaluation of the report under Article 16(3) of the CPR October 2013: REPORT European Joint Technology Undertaking Biobased Industry. July 2011: FIRST RAPPORTEUR on EP and Council Regulation on the General Regulation; European Investment Funds (ESIF), (325 Billion Euros). Lambert van Nistelrooij was - Member, EPP Coordinator and EPP Speaker in the Committee on Regional Development; - Member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection; - Member of the Delegation for relations with Brazil; - Member of the Delegation for relations with Mercosur; - Member of the Delegation in the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly; - Co-president of the AGE and URBAN-intergroups; - President of the Knowledge for Innovation (K4I) Forum in the European Parliament;

  Former MEP and Honorary Member of K4I

• Maria da Graça Carvalho

  Maria da Graça Carvalho

  MEP, EPP, Portugal

  Maria da Graça Carvalho is currently member of the European Parliament (2019-2024). In the European Parliament she is a full Member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and a substitute Member on the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and substitute member on Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM). She follows as well the parliamentary Delegations for relations with the United States, for relations with the countries of Central America and Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly. As a MEP, she was appointed rapporteur of the Specific Programme Implementing HORIZON 2020 and of the report on Simplification of the Rules of Participation in the European Programs for Research and Innovation. In 2011, she was awarded the Prize for the best MEP in the area of Research and Innovation.

  MEP, EPP, Portugal

• Mariya Gabriel

  Mariya Gabriel

  EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth

  Mariya Ivanova Gabriel is a Bulgarian politician and a member of the GERB party serving as European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth since 2019. She was previously a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2009 to 2017. In the European Parliament, she served as Vice-President of the European People’s Party (EPP) group, Vice-President of EPP Women, and head of the Bulgarian EPP delegation. She was first appointed to the European Commission in 2017 as European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society to fill a spot left vacant by the departure of Kristalina Georgieva.

  EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth

• Markkula, Markku

  Markkula, Markku

  First Vice - President of the European Committee of the Regions

  First Vice - President of the European Committee of the Regions

• Natasha Kapil

  Natasha Kapil

  Senior Private Sector Specialist in the Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation Global Practice, in the Europe and Central Asia region of the World Bank Group (WBG)

  Natasha brings nearly two decades of global experience in firm competitiveness, research modernization, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem analytics and programming. Natasha has supported national and regional governments, national agencies, and entrepreneurship ecosystem enablers, including in East Asia, Latin America, South Asia, and Africa. Based in Brussels, she serves as Competitiveness and Innovation Lead for the EU, focusing on Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, and Romania. Currently, she leads the operationalization of the World Bank flagship “Europe 4.0: Addressing the Digital Dilemma”, the design of a flagship pilot program with DG REGIO on digitization and managerial practices upgrading for the EU recovery; implementation of DG REFORM initiative supporting "Romania's Startup Ecosystem Strategy". She is deeply passionate about addressing climate change and leveraging her background to design mechanisms that stimulate private sector ingenuity to accelerate the green transition. Ms. Kapil will present an overview of the Public Expenditure Reviews on Science, Technology, and Innovation (PER STI). The PER methodology was developed by the World Bank, with support from the European Commission’s DG Employment. The modular PER tool was designed with the view to support EU countries at each step of the programming process, with special focus on issues of program design, implementation and governance. The presentation will provide insights into the 4-phased instrument, including the policy and instrument mapping, functional analysis, efficiency, and effectiveness analysis. It will also include key highlights from recent and ongoing analytics in Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, and Romania. An understanding of some of these broad trends can provide insights to all member states keen on strengthening the efficiency and effectiveness of innovation programming with the view to support a speedy recovery and bridge the global innovation divide.

  Senior Private Sector Specialist in the Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation Global Practice, in the Europe and Central Asia region of the World Bank Group (WBG)

• Phoebe Koundouri

  Phoebe Koundouri

  University Professor, Athens University of Economics and Business; Fellow World Academy of Art and Science ; President-Elect of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists; Co-chair SDSN Europe & SDSN Greece

  Phoebe Koundouri is a world-renowned environmental economics professor and global leader in sustainable development. She is widely recognized as a pioneer in innovative, human-centric, interdisciplinary systems for the sustainable interaction between nature, society, and the economy. Prof. Koundouri is University Professor at the School of Economics, Athens University of Economics and Business, an elected fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science and the President-elect of the European Association of Environmental and Natural Resource Economists for the period 2019-2025 .

  University Professor, Athens University of Economics and Business; Fellow World Academy of Art and Science ; President-Elect of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists; Co-chair SDSN Europe & SDSN Greece

• Robbert Fisher

  Robbert Fisher

  President, Knowledge4Innovation

  Robbert Fisher specializes in strategy and policy in the fields of R&D, technology transfer and innovation in general. His key focus is on ICT policy. Since 1st January 2020 he is principal associate investigator at the University de las Campinas in Sao Paolo Brazil, where he focuses on the further development of Big Data and AI for policy analysis, development and monitoring. Robbert is on the board of several start up companies, a trusted expert for the European Commission in the field of big data and AI, and since 2017 the president of K4I. From 2011 to 2019 Robbert was the managing director of the Joint Institute for Innovation Policy, a Brussels based think tank of four renowned RTO’s (TNO, VTT, Tecanalia and Joanneum Research). Prior to that he has founded two companies, from 1989 until 2000 he was a senior manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers. From 1991-1995 Robbert was seconded as an expert to the European Commission DG XIII (now DG CONNECT) in Luxembourg. Robbert received a Master’s degree Law, Leiden University, the Netherlands with special subjects Intellectual property, Information Systems and Business economics. He holds degrees in marketing and public relations. In addition, he is an alumnus of the PwC International Management Development Programme, and has followed executive courses at Darden Business School and Oxford Said Business School.

  President, Knowledge4Innovation

• Roland Strauss

  Roland Strauss

  Managing Director, Knowledge4Innovation

  Managing Director, Knowledge4Innovation

• Servaas Duterloo

  Servaas Duterloo

  Head of Unit Research Funding EU and International Programmes at Delft university of Technology

  Servaas Duterloo is the Head of the EU Research Funding & International Programmes Unit of the Directorate of Strategic Development at TU Delft, since 2012. Next to his job he is a member of Crowd Helix Network Advisory Board. Servaas has studied as a Fulbright Undergraduate Scholar at Allegheny College, PA, (USA) 1983-1984, completed a Master Degree EU Law & International Relations, University of Groningen 1984-1990. He did a traineeship at the European Commission Task Force PHARE, 1990, and obtained a Master Degree Adv. European Studies, College of Europe Bruges/Natolin 1992-1993. Previously he was the Manager of the Netherlands Network of Innovation (Science & Technology) Attaches of the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs, 2004-2012, the National Contact Point for EU’s FP6 RTD programme 2001-2004, Consultant with KPMG Consulting 1994-2001 and completed his National Service as an Officer with the Royal Netherlands Navy (Admiralty’s Office) 1991-1992.

  Head of Unit Research Funding EU and International Programmes at Delft university of Technology

• Victor Negrescu

  Victor Negrescu

  Member of the European Parliament, S&D, Romania

  Victor Negrescu is the vice-chair of the Culture and Education Committee and rapporteur on the shaping of an European digital education policy. He is an emerging leader, active in the field of education, digital innovation, entrepreneurship, European financing, citizens' rights, and institutional affairs. His latest success was to promote in the European Parliament a resolution on education and to introduce in the Recovery and Resilience Facility a recommendation to Member States to allocate 10% for education and 2% for the culture and creative sector. Former Romanian Minister for EU Affairs in charge with the preparation of the EU Council Presidency, he was in the past a digital innovator and a professor before holding the position of MEP. Victor Negrescu is an active promoter of EU values, chairing the PES activists Romania and European Movement Romania organizations. He won in 2015 the MEP of the Year Award for the digital agenda and got recently an award from the Romanian digital industry for his efforts in promoting digital skills and education. As a civic activist, he managed to promote several European petitions calling for citizens and social rights at EU level. MEP Victor Negrescu is a strong advocate for a fair social Europe, based on common policies in the field of education, innovation & digital sector, protection of the environment, healthcare and infrastructure.

  Member of the European Parliament, S&D, Romania

• Willem Jonker

  Willem Jonker

  CEO , EIT Digital

  Prof. Willem Jonker (1962) has a broad background in ICT, both in industry as well as in academia. He studied mathematics and computer science at Groningen University, worked at Delft University of Technology, received his PhD from the University of Utrecht, and is a part-time full professor in computer science at Twente University. Willem Jonker's industrial experience covers telecommunications (KPN), IT (European Computer industry Research Centre, Munich) and consumer electronics (Philips). He held several positions as researcher, international project leader, department head, sector head, and account manager. In 2006 he was appointed Vice President Philips Research. Prof. Dr. Jonker has served European ICT research in various ways amongst others as project leader, reviewer, and advisor.

  CEO , EIT Digital