Advancing Strategic Competitiveness & European iNnovation in Deep tech

To be announced.

The 1st plenary session will discuss the importance of closing the European scaleup gap and how this ambition aligns with overall ambitions to realize Europe’s innovation potential and strengthen European autonomy, security, competitiveness and prosperity. An overview of current efforts to scale European solutions and companies to transform EU’s innovation potential into global tech leadership will be provided.

Speakers in session

To be announced.

In this thought-provoking 2nd plenary session, historian Peter Heather and political economist John Rapley will explore Europe’s evolving geopolitical influence, drawing insights from their recent book, ‘Why Empires Fall’. The discussion will trace historical shifts in Europe’s global role and examine potential futures. Emphasis will be placed on how innovation and technology can enable Europe to navigate new global dynamics, maintain relevance, and shape its future in an increasingly multipolar world. 

Speakers in the session

• Peter Heather, Professor at King’s College London – author of “Why Empires Fall?”
• John Rapley, PhD in Political Economy - author of “Why Empires Fall?”

In a world where technological innovation shapes global power dynamics, Europe faces the critical challenge of ensuring its competitiveness against countries like the U.S. and China. This 3rd plenary session will delve into how Europe can position itself in the global innovation race and how it should strategically invest in critical technologies to secure long-term success. Participants are invited to rethink Europe’s innovation strategy and explore how targeted investments can strengthen its position in the global innovation race.

Speakers in the session

• Stephen Ezell, Vice President, Global Innovation Policy, and Director, Center for Life Sciences Innovation, ITIF

This 4th plenary session will investigate how in the 2000s and 2010s, several European countries developed ambitious strategies and investment plans for boosting their nations’ competitiveness. The need to bolster European competitiveness is greater than ever, but policymaker attention is divided between a series of pressing crises. What if anything can we learn from our former attempts to mobilize research and innovation for increased competitiveness and growth?

This 5th plenary session will explore how Europe can cultivate the next wave of globally competitive companies capable of leading in high-growth industries. Featuring insights from successful growth companies and top investors, the discussion will tackle structural challenges such as fragmented capital markets, regulatory hurdles, and talent retention. The session will discuss key factors for building new global tech champions out of Europe. 

Speakers in the Session

Cheryl Martin, CEO of Harwich Partners

The 6th plenary session will discuss the update of Startup and Scaleup Strategy in Europe and the perspective European Innovation Act, focusing on turning insights into action, outlining concrete steps to create an environment where European scaleups can thrive and evolve into global tech champions. The session will also explore how reinvigorating the EU Single Market can stimulate demand for deep tech solutions and facilitate the growth of European scaleups, including examining the proposed "28th regime" alongside other actionable strategies aimed at bridging the scaleup gap for startups and SMEs across Europe, thereby easing their path to becoming global leaders in innovation.