Science|Business annual Network conference
The incoming European Commission’s policy agenda is arguably its most ambitious to date. During its five year term, the Commission will seek legally binding commitments to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, unlock €1 trillion in green transition financing by 2030, and take a global leadership role in the governance of artificial intelligence, among other headline goals. It will also launch Horizon Europe, its largest ever research and innovation programme, with a clearly defined range of impact targets.
In February, the Science|Business Annual Network Conference will bring together over 300 stakeholders for two main purposes: first, to take stock of latest developments around the key pillars of the new agenda; and second, to explore their implications for the science, technology and innovation communities that will have a critical role to play in driving progress. By extension, it will address the challenge of developing the next generation(s) of researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs who will have a leading role to play in delivering a climate-neutral, sustainable Europe by 2050.
Hosted by ING at ING Marnix, Rue du Trône 1, 1000 Brussels
09:00 - Welcome
- Maryline Fiaschi, Managing Director, Science|Business
- Vanessa Temple, Managing Director & Head of Sectors Belux & Nordics, ING Wholesale Banking
09:05 - Plenary I – Quo vadis? Implications for S&T in an increasingly turbulent world
Panel discussion, featuring:
- Patrick Child, Deputy Director-General, DG Research & Innovation, European Commission
- Paolo Ferrão, President, COST Association
- Alice Gast, President, Imperial College London
- Christian Thomsen, President, Technische Universität Berlin
- Michel van der Bel, President, Microsoft EMEA
Moderated by Maryline Fiaschi, Managing Director, Science|Business
10:05 - Keynote Speech – Precious resources: Towards a more prosperous, sustainable future through S&T
- Janez Potočnik, Co-Chair, International Resource Panel, UN Environment Programme
Introduced by Richard L. Hudson, Editor-in-Chief and Vice Chair of the Board, Science|Business
10:30 - Coffee
11:00 - Plenary II – Green dreams: Can Europe’s climate ambitions inspire a new era of global R&I cooperation?
Panel discussion featuring:
- Clara de la Torre, Deputy Director-General, DG Climate Action, European Commission
- Daan du Toit, Deputy Director-General, South African Dept of Science & Innovation
- Håkon Haugli, Chief Executive Officer, Innovation Norway
- Ilkka Niemelä, President, Aalto University
Moderated by Simon Pickard, Network Director, Science|Business
11:45 - Keynote Speech - Powering ahead: How energy policy and innovation can deliver on the European Green Deal
- Ditte Juul-Jørgensen, Director-General, DG Energy, European Commission
12:00 - Plenary III – AI Rules: Can Europe take a lead in the global race?
Opening Q&A with Kim Jorgensen, Head of Cabinet for Executive Vice President Vestager, European Commission
Followed by panel discussion, featuring:
- Bertrand Braunschweig, Director for Research Coordination, AI Plan for Humanity, Inria
- Rutger Engels, Rector Magnificus, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Kim Jorgensen, Head of Cabinet for Executive Vice President Vestager, European Commission
- Nina Kopola, CEO & Director General, Business Finland
- Maria Manuel Leitão Marques, Vice Chair, IMCO Committee & Member, European Parliament
Moderated by Carlos Härtel, Special Advisor, Science|Business
13:00 - Networking Lunch
14:00 - Parallel Sessions – Tectonic shifts: A new landscape for future S&T leaders
1/ Artificial reality: Can industry redefine itself through AI?
- Martha Crago, Vice Principal (Research and Innovation), McGill University
- Alexander Denev, Head of AI (Financial), Deloitte
- Oliver Grau, Chair of the Technology Policy Committee, ACM Europe
- Marco Li Mandri, Team Leader, Dialogue Analytics & Principal Product Owner, ING
- Patrick van der Smagt, Director Machine Learning Labs, VW Group
- Max Welling, Vice President Technologies, Qualcomm & Chaired Professor in Machine Learning, University of Amsterdam
Moderated by Douglas Gregory, Executive Director, European Union Policy and Government Affairs, AMGEN
2/ FAIR game: Transforming R&I through open science and global data
- Jean-Claude Burgelman, Advisor and Open Access Envoy, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
- Marlon Domingus, Research Data Management Director, Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Tiina Kupila-Rantala, Vice Managing Director, CSC – IT Center for Science
- Frederick Fenter, Executive Editor, Frontiers
- Federica Rosetta, Director Strategic Relations, EU and Nordics, Elsevier
Moderated by Peter Wrobel, Founding Director, Science|Business
3/ Game changers: Training the next generation of green, smart innovators
- François Bertrand, Vice President Academic & Research, Polytechnique Montreal
- Joseph Klafter, Senior Advisor, Council of Higher Education (Israel)
- Paola Mazzuchelli, Secretary General, Association of European Renewable Energy Centres
- Harry McCann, Founder & Co-Chair, Digital Youth Council (Ireland)
- Sinan Tumer, Founder & CEO, iBC Insights
Moderated by Antoine Rayroux, Senior Advisor International, Science|Business
15:15 - Coffee break
15:45 - Plenary IV – Blue skies ahead: How will frontier research respond to Europe’s new ambitions?
Opening Q&A with Mauro Ferrari, President, European Research Council
Followed by panel discussion, featuring:
- Jaak Aaviksoo, Rector, Tallinn University of Technology
- Mauro Ferrari, President, European Research Council
- Detlef Günther, Vice-President for Research & Corporate Relations, ETH Zurich
- Rosa Menéndez, President, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
Moderated by Richard L. Hudson, Editor-in-Chief and Vice Chair of the Board, Science|Business
16:45 - Plenary V – 2020 vision: What does the future hold for Horizon Europe?
Followed by panel discussion, featuring:
- Stefan Kaufmann, Member & Spokesperson for the Education, Research, Science and Technology Assessment Committee, German Bundestag
- Paul Webb, Head of Unit, Budget and Multiannual Financial Framework Synergies, DG RTD, European Commission
- Thom Palstra, Rector Magnificus, University of Twente
- Debora Revoltella, Chief Economist & Director, Development Division, European Investment Bank
- Walter Weigel, Chief Scientific Officer & Vice President, European Research Institute, Huawei
Moderated by Maryline Fiaschi, Managing Director, Science|Business
17:45 - Conference close & networking reception
For more information:
- For general information / Network members enquiries, please contact Lysiane Pons ([email protected])
- For questions regarding registration, please contact Andrea Stavrou ([email protected])
- For sponsorship enquiries, please contact Monica Mateu ([email protected])
ING - Marnix (Rue du Trône 1, 1000 Brussels)
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