Successful R & I in Europe 2024

11th European Networking Event

Overview

  • 15. Feb 2024 - 16. Feb 2024
  • Van der Valk Airporthotel   
  • English

15. Feb - 16. Feb 2024

 

Teaser for Successful R&I in Europe 2024

Gain an impression of “Successful R&I in Europe 2024: 11th European Networking Event” in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Become part of European networks for research and innovation and get ready for Horizon Europe!

We look forward to welcoming you!

 
 

For the eleventh time, the conference invites researchers and entrepreneurs from North Rhine-Westphalia and all other regions throughout Europe to find new research and innovation (R&I) partners for Horizon Europe projects.

Participants are invited to give a short presentation (ideas and/or results) with a focus on Horizon Europe calls, where a budget of approx. € 95.5 billion is available up until 2027.

The networking event is structured in parallel workshops focussing on eight topics:

  • Cluster 1: Health
  • Cluster 2: Creative Industries
  • Cluster 4: Digital Technologies
  • Cluster 4: Industrial Technologies
  • Cluster 5: Energy
  • Cluster 5: Mobility
  • Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Ressources, Agriculture and Environment
  • Innovation Procurement (PCP/PPI)

The event addresses in particular universities and research institutes as well as companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. Participants are invited to become involved in established and new technology networks between researchers, entrepreneurs and multipliers related to Horizon Europe.

Giving a short presentation (ideas and/or results) or finding a partner by talking to decision-makers opens doors for new research and innovation projects in Europe with a focus on Horizon Europe.

Conference fee: € 150 (€ 120 one day) per person including VAT.

Invoices will be despatched after the event.

Free participation for speakers in sessions 1 to 4.

Please note that the event organizer does NOT cover any travel expenses, costs for hotels etc.! The conference fee includes dinner on 15 February, lunch on 16 February, tea/coffee/cold drinks during the breaks and the airport-venue shuttle (solely as provided by the organizers). Registration is binding. We reserve the right to charge the participation fee if a delegate fails to cancel their attendance by sending an email to below by 8 February 2024.

Registration deadline is 8 February 2024. The deadline for submitting proposals in the call for presentations is 12 January 2024.

Testimonials

During the events since 2009, many productive and lasting contacts have been established between researchers and entrepreneurs from NRW and other parts of Europe. That’s why our participants are keen to meet in Düsseldorf each year as part of their proposal preparation for Horizon Europe.

Professor Lars M. Blank
RWTH Aachen University

“Successful R&I in Europe is an ideal
international platform for presenting
your own EU project and results as well
as for finding new partners.”


 

Dr Liv Adler
Covestro Deutschland AG

“Networking is key to successful innovation.
This event is a great opportunity
to find new contacts as well as to discuss
innovative strategies and solutions.”

Contact:

Dr Bernd Janson
Telephone: 0049 208 30004-22
Email: bernd.janson(at)zenit.de

Agenda

Thursday, 15 February 2024 (Day 1)

Including exhibition: Innovations for Europe based in NRW

Conference Moderator: Dr. Bernd Janson

The Innovation Procurement workshop will not take place. Instead, Bertrand Wert, EISMEA, European Commission, will give a short presentation on the topic and be available during the networking sessions to meet with delegates.

13.00Welcome
13.05Opening session
Thorsten Menne, Director Research Funding, Research Policy, Ministry of Culture and Science of North-Rhine Westphalia
13.15Keynote speech
Carolina Gario, DG GROW,  European Commission
13.35Success stories in Europe based in NRW
MaxH2DR, Dr. Thorsten Hauck, VDEH-Betriebsforschungsinstitut GmbH, Düsseldorf
Fluently, Duarte Figueiredo, Roboverse Reply GmbH, Gütersloh
13.55Introduction of Partner Regions and Services for Proposals and Projects
Hans H. Stein, Managing Director, ZENIT GmbH
14.00Coffee/Start of parallel sessions
14.15
Session 1: Parallel workshops
“European projects seeking partners”
Digital Technologies

Innovation Procurement – Support by DG RTD / EIC BAS for suppliers and buyers.
Dr Bertrand Wert, European Commission – Executive Agency for SMEs (EISMEA)

The KreativInsitut.Ostwestfalen-Lippe, an interdisciplinary Hub for Immersive Technologies, Music, Audio and Digital Humanities
Prof Dr Alexander Kutter, Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen Lippe, Germany

Digital Product Passport (DPP)
Sohag Salauddin, Technovative Solutions Limited, Great Britain

More than words …. Artificial Intelligence and Multimodal Natural
Language Interaction in Augmented & Virtual Reality Applications
Jens Piesk, Nuromedia GmbH, Germany

EdTech Talents – Academic talents in the service of educational technology

Dr Janika Leoste, Tallinn University, Estonia

Software Platform for Multimodal Sensor Data Integration and Smart Analysis
Dr Andrew Spink, Noldus Information Technology, Netherlands

Next level safety-critical communication
Dr. Georg Trausmuth, Frequentis AG, Austria
Industrial Technologies

Beyond UNIVERSEH: Space Research Projects for Businesses, Researchers and Citizens
Sonja Bretschneider, Heinrich Heine Universität, Germany

Glass waste and MSWI bottom ash as a raw material in the production of ceramics and building materials
Arkadiusz Gąsiński, Łukasiewicz  -Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials, Poland

Industry 4.0 and Customized IoT Data Analysis Platform
Alper Girgin, Bewell Teknoloji, Turkey

Gas-Phase Synthesis of highly sophisticated nanomaterials: Products for Future Energy Applications
Tim Hülser, Institut für Umwelt & Energie, Technik & Analytik e. V. (IUTA), Germany

Composite EV Battery Cases
Hale Bülbül, Farplas Otomotiv A.Ş., Turkey

Smart Futures: Digital Twins Reshaping Construction, Manufacturing, Semiconductor, and Smart Cities
Dr Tariqul Islam, DigitalTwin Technology GmbH, Germany

Shakett – A new alternative for Vibratory Stress Relief and Residual Stress Detection  
Alexandra Kiri, T.E.T.T. Mérnökiroda Kft. , Hungary

MACBETH – A European success story from a first idea to a demo plant
Dr Marc Oliver Kristen, Evonik Operations GmbH, Germany
Energy

Renewable Energy Technologies at :metabolon – From Laboratory to Pilot-Scale Plants
Prof Dr Michael Bongards, TH Köln, Germany

Collaborative Solar Energy Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
Salome Zajbert, Municipality of Eilat, Israel

Investigations into the production methods of graphit polymer bipolar plates for heavy duty fuel cells
Dr Marco Grundler, Zentrum für Brennstoffzellentechnik GmbH, Germany

Sustainable Renewable Heating Solutions for Affordable Retrofit of Domestic Buildings
Dr Mahmut S. Buker, SOLIMPEKS Solar & Innorma R&D, Turkey

Smart City Planning with Drone Service
Lorinc Markus, MG Építész Ltd, Hungary

Maximized lifetime & Minimized Downtime in Energy Sector
Burak Bağcı, Wisersense, Turkey

Bench-to-Scale-n-Flow: Integrated process development for the synthesis of key-main group-embedded organic semiconductors 
Dr Manuel Morillas Diaz, Institut Quimic de Sarrià, Spain
Mobility

Breakthrough Innovations and the devlopment of the fully electric aircraft eMagic One
Michael Kügelgen, MK Technology GmbH, Germany

Alleviating Range Anxiety: Proposing Target Speed Guidance for Electric Car Drivers
Dr Erkan Atmaca, Istanbul University – Cerrahpasa, Turkey

Solid state sulfide Based LI-Metal batteries for EV applications
Dr Jens Ewald, FEV Europe GmbH, Germany

FLAIT innovative holistic urban mobility system
Herwig Fischer, FLAIT GmbH, Germany

HyFuBa-kV: Hybrid Fuel Cell and Battery System in a novel kiloVolt system design for mobile and stationary applications
Dr Samiro Bojarra, Bochum University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Enhancing Vehicle and Road Safety with Vehicle-Integrated Smart Devices
Aydın Kuntay, Bias Mühendislik, Turkey

Horizon Europe Project ReMuNet – Creating resilient multimodal freight transport networks in Europe
John von Stamm, FIR e.V an der RWTH Aachen, Germany

Towards large-scale Deployment of European Sustainable Aviation Fuels
Dr Ralph-Uwe Dietrich, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Germany
16.15Session 2: Parallel workshops
“European projects seeking partners”
Health

DigiChronicus – Digital solutions in the care process for people with chronic illnesses
Yvonne Behrens, FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management gGmbH, Germany

Development of organ-on-a-chip testing platforms with a special focus on dermal barrier
Dr Franciska Erdő, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Hungary

Portable Low-Cost E-Assessment the Effects and C-E on Brain, Cognitive and Motor Performance
Prof Dr Narcis Gusi, Universidad de Extremadura, Spain

Creating lasting impact through dissemination & education in Horizon Europe’s ONCOVALUE
Sjors Gerritsen, Elevate Health, Netherlands

Bioresorbable implantable triboelectric nanogenerator devices 
Prof Dr Amir Fahmi, Hochschule Rhein-Waal, Germany

Microfluidic instruments and flow setups
Dr Lisa Muiznieks, Microfluidic Innovation Center, France
Digital Technologies

Artificial General Robots for Europe (AGR4EU)
Prof Dr Mahdi Bohlouli, Petanux GmbH, Germany

Autonomous Drones for Infrastructure Inspection
Prof Emad Samuel Malki Ebeid, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

EDIH Tech4Efficiency – UEx
Dr Jose Garcia-Alonso, University of Extremadura, Spain

Exploring the Intersection of Blockchain and Post-Quantum Cryptography in U-Space, UTM, and UAS: Insights from a European Context
Matej Michalko, Decent Cybersecurity s.r.o., Slovak Republic 

Integration of AI adaptations to the fully automated systems
Fatih Bora Keskin, Molkim, Turkey

RISC-V software ecosystem
Prof Dr Rainer Leupers, RWTH Aachen, Germany
Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Ressources, Agriculture and Environment

Fostering interregional investments for the twin transition of the food sector – the HIGHFIVE project
Norbert Reichl, Food-Processing Initiative e.V., Germany

Oleatex: Pioneering Sustainability in Next Generation Markets with Innovative Olive Biomass Solutions
Esref Hilmi Acik, OLEAGO BIO DERI VE SURDURULEBILIRLIK URUNLERI SAN. VE TIC.A.S, Turkey

Innovative tools for the mitigation of infectious diseases shared between livestock and wildlife for improved cohabitation
Dr María Bravo Santillana, INGULADOS, Spain

Valorisation of wood from poplar out of agroforest and short rotation croppice for fermentive production of high value aroma and active ingredients
Dr Peter Welters, Phytowelt GreenTechnologies GmbH, Germany

The response of the human epigenome to healthy diet
Prof Dr Carsten Carlberg, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland

Scale Up of Microbial Fuel Cell for Wastewater Treatment 
Prof Dr Fabian Fischer, HESSO, Switzerland

Circular bioeconomy at :metabolon
Dr Himanshu, Circular Transformation Lab Cologne, Germany

Microfluidics as a versatile technology for food production and environmental assessment 
Dr Christa Ivanova, Microfluidics Innovation Center, France

Building sustainable food innovation hubs through a strategic ecosystem well-being approach
Adisa Ejubovic, ACEEU GmbH, Germany
Energy

Innovation Procurement – Support by DG RTD / EIC BAS for suppliers and buyers.
Dr Bertrand Wert, European Commission – Executive Agency for SMEs (EISMEA)

Renewable Energies and Resilience
Nils Krippner, Bundesanstalt Technisches Hilfswerk, Germany

Fostering initiatives and supporting activities within the realm of industrial transformation to address the current challenges of the global economy
Dr Karolina Dudek, Łukasiewicz – Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials, Poland

Additive manufacturing of sustainable construction materials
Yonca Bab, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey

INTERGEO’s profile, bakground and potential for cooperation in the P/V waste management
Dr Vasiliki Savvilotidou, INTERGEO ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY, Greece

Zorlu Enerji R&D
Dr Nilgün Side Kurtcu, Zorlu Enerji, Turkey

Energy modernization of logistics complexes
Igor Varavva, ITC “Avtomatika”, Ukraine
18.15Reception and Exhibition
18.45Dinner
20.30“Düsseldorf by night” bus tour/city sightseeing

Friday, 16 February 2024 (Day 2)

Including exhibition: Innovations for Europe based in NRW

Conference Moderator: Dr Bernd Janson

9.30Welcome
9.35Services for Proposals and Projects
Jan Skriwanek, National Contact Point Health, DLR-PT                                                                          
9.45Success stories in Europe based in NRW 
AgroServ, Dr. Heba Ibrahim, FZ Jülich
StentGuard, Dr. Alexej Domnich, VesselSens GmbH, Bonn
10.05Coffee/Start of parallel sessions
10.15Session 3: Parallel workshops
“European projects seeking partners”
Health

Innovation Procurement – Support by DG RTD / EIC BAS for suppliers and buyers.
Dr Bertrand Wert, European Commission – Executive Agency for SMEs (EISMEA)

Biological optimization of response to radiotherapy
Verena Jendrossek, UK Essen, Germany

Developing Smart Peptides: A new frontier in combating mild cognitive impairment
Prof Dr Stefan-Eugen Szedlacsek, Institute of Biochemistry – Bucharest, Romania

EmResc app (emergency rescue service app)
Dr Ali Reza Waladkhani, Smatos GmbH & Co KG, Germany

European Partnership: One Health Anti-Microbial Resistance
Dr Jonathan Gomez-Raja, FUNDESALUD, Government of Extremadura, Spain

The impactful medical university: driving societal relevance, engagement and impacts through linking arts, entrepreneurship and medical research excellence
Prof Dr Thorsten Kliewe, European Future Skills Institute (EFSI), Germany
Creative Industries

Research at Cologne Game Lab with a Spotlight on Simulators for Training Purposes
Dr Laura Frings, Cologne Game Lab of TH Köln (CGL), Germany

Communication management to aim SDGS
Dr Victoria Carrillo-Durán, Universidad de Extremadura, Spain

Living Lab 040: The Urban Village
Prof Dr Jos Lichtenberg, Living Lab 040 (LL040 BV), Netherlands

Synergic funding for Horizon Europe
Harri Malinen, University of Lapland, Finland

ENRICH-BT (Enhancing Regional Innovation and Capacity in Biobased Textiles)
Stijntje Jaspers, Fibershed NL, Netherlands

Generative AI in Creative Industries
Yash Shekhawat, Nurogames GmbH, Germany
Energy

Towards Sustainable Process Industries
Prof Dr Axel Gottschalk, SUPREN GmbH, Germany

Renewable energy is not stored – We’ve found a way to store it efficiently and inexpensively creating Green hydrogen 
Sonya Davidson, H2 Energy Now, Israel

Weather forecasting services for the deployment, operation and decommisioning of offshore wind farms
Dr Juan Manuel González Sopeña, SOLUTE, Spain

Incorporating recycled materials from demolition and renovation into the construction industry
Izabela Polniaszek, Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials, Poland

Gas Phase Synthesis of Metal sulfides
Suman Pokhrel, Universität Bremen, Germany
Digital Technologies

Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) for next generation wireless networks
Prof Dr Aydin Sezgin, Ruhr Universität Bochum (RUB), Germany

Start-ups assessment tool
Juan Carlos Martinez Barrio, CEEI-Burgos, Spain

R&D for Developing Resilient Wireless Communication Protocols for Critical Infrastructure
Shankar Mondal, FibroLAN CEE GmbH, Austria

Green AI Compliance: Energy-Smart and Privacy-Focused Data Solutions in Europe
Aidan O Mahony, Dell Technologies, Ireland

Industrial leadership in AI, Data and Robotics boosting competitiveness
Enrique Picón, ADIPER, Spain

Post-quantum cryptography transition
Visa Vallivaara, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Finland
12.00Session 4: Parallel workshops
“European projects seeking partners”
Health

M.A.R.C.O. GmbH & Co. KG: Excellence in clinical trials as key factor to foster medical innovations
Dr Lucas-Sebastian Spitzhorn, M.A.R.C.O. GmbH & Co. KG – Institute for Clinical Research and Statistics, Germany

Repurposing bio-agents for the benefit of humankind 
Hüseyin Evlat, Molkim, Turkey

Insights into Human Performance: Utilizing AI and Wearables for Personalized Health and Well-being Optimization
Dr Laszlo Grand, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Hungary

POPMED-SUSDEV 
Dr Jan-Hinrich Meyer, Universitat Ramon Llull, IQS School of Management, Spain

Exploring Collaboration Opportunities with EATRIS, the European Infrastructure for Translational Medicine
Dr Sara Zullino, EATRIS, Netherlands

Understanding the effects of environmental chemicals on health
Dr Francisco Iñesta Vaquera, Universidad de Extremadura, Spain
Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Ressources, Agriculture and Environment

TRUSTyFOOD – Stakeholders-driven pathways for blockchain implementation in the agri-food sector
Thuy Tien Nguyen Thi, Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML), Germany

Valorization of natural vegetable resources. Development of new healthy products and process digitalization to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of the production sector
Dr Patricia Calvo Magro, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas de Extremadura, Spain

Triumphs and challenges: how we found the rhythm of growth
Prof Vladan Gligorijevic, CubexLab, Netherlands

AKIS multi-actor network on integrated fungal disease management ready to reduce pesticides use
Dr Laura Martín, CICYTEX, Spain

Water Monitoring & Prediction Sistem
Sergio Miguel Galán, Ambling Ingeniería y Servicios S.L., Spain

Toward climate neutrality. Waste biomass as a raw material to produce biochar for various applications as part of a circular economy as an opportunity to reduce CO2 emissions
Dr Joanna Poluszyńska, The Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials, Poland

INtegrated and Circular Technologies for Sustainable city region FOOD systems in Africa (INCiTiS-FOOD)
Michael Reuter, aquaponik manufaktur GmbH, Germany
Industrial Technologies

Innovation Procurement – Support by DG RTD / EIC BAS for suppliers and buyers.
Dr Bertrand Wert, European Commission – Executive Agency for SMEs (EISMEA)

HyInHeat project – Introduction of a Horizon Europe project
Dr Christian Schwotzer, RWTH Aachen University, Germany

Lukasiewicz-PIAP Cluster 4: Digital, Industry capabilities
Jan Piwiński, Łukasiewicz – PIAP, Poland

Using hemp shieves or fibers in sustinable wood based panel production
Yusuf Çekiç, Kastamonu Entegre Ağaç Sanayi ve Tic A.Ş., Turkey

AI-Driven Optimization: Enhancing Crash Box Design and Structural Health Monitoring
Dr Horacio Rostro Gonzalez, University Ramon Llull – Sarria Chemical Institute, Spain

Towards neutrino beam experiment in EU
Dr Tamer Tolba, Hamburg Universität, Germany

Industry 4.0 Data Integration and Progressive Manufacturing Optimization
Alper Girgin, Bewell Teknoloji, Turkey
13.00Interactive lunch/Find a partner/Exhibition

Van der Valk Airporthotel

Am Hülserhof 57
40472 Düsseldorf

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Airport-Venue shuttle

The shuttle with e-cars will run from the airport to the venue (and back) on 15 and 16 February 2024.

Click here for more information about the shuttle service: SHUTTLE INFORMATION

About one week prior to the event, we will inform all participants who have indicated that they require an airport-venue shuttle where and when the shuttle service will run!

The meeting point at the airport where the shuttle leaves will be signposted.

The service is operated free of charge as a courtesy to our participants and on a “first-come, first served” basis. Please note that it is not possible to book the shuttle.

Due to a strike by local public transport (buses and trams) in our region on Thursday, 15 February 2024 from 3:00 a.m. CET until 3:00 a.m. CET on Friday, 16 February 2024, we recommend the following:

By car: Please leave in good time, as there will be heavy traffic on the roads.

By public transport: Please use German Rail (Deutsche Bahn (S-Bahn)) and make your way to Düsseldorf Airport. Please note that the airport has TWO train stations! The suburban train (S 11) is the only train that goes directly to the terminal, for example from Düsseldorf Central Station. The station is called “Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal”.  If you disembark the train at “Düsseldorf Flughafen Fernbahnhof” (where most intercity trains (IC, ICE) stop), you need first to take the SkyTrain to the terminal. Once you have arrived inside the terminal, you can then use our special shuttle service. Please come to the Meeting Point on the “Arrivals” level near Exit D. Please try to be early, as we cannot guarantee seats at short notice.

By taxi: There should be plenty of taxis and this is another possibility. The address of the conference hotel is: Van der Valk Airporthotel, Am Hülserhof 57, 40472 Düsseldorf. For arrivals and departures on Friday, 16 February 2024, there should be no further travel restrictions for buses and trams!

There are several hotels close to Düsseldorf Airport and the conference venue.

Van der Valk Airporthotel

It is recommended that event participants stay at the conference hotel.

To reserve a room, please call T +49 211 20063-0 or contact the hotel by ">email.

Address: Van der Valk Airporthotel, Am Hülserhof 57, 40472 Düsseldorf

Hotel Mutterhaus

Event participants can also stay at Hotel Mutterhaus, which is only a short distance from the event venue.

To reserve a room, please call T +49 211 61727-0 or contact the hotel by ">email

Address: Hotel Mutterhaus Düsseldorf GmbH, Geschwister-Aufricht-Str. 1, 40489 Düsseldorf

Please note that the event organizer does NOT cover any travel expenses, costs for hotels, etc. nor can the event organizer book accommodation for you.

How to participate in the Call for Presentations

Thank you very much for your interest in participating in the Call for Presentations of the 11th European Networking Event!

The aim of the Call for Presentations is to facilitate communication between the participants.

Speakers profit threefold:

  • They have the opportunity to present their Horizon Europe projects/ideas for joint Horizon Europe proposals/EU-funded research results to the audience in the specific workshop.
  • During the breaks there are special booths for further discussions between presenter and audience.
  • The conference participation fee is waived for speakers! (One per presentation.)

Each presentation lasts a maximum of 6 minutes.

Parallel workshops will focus on eight topics:

  • Cluster 1: Health
  • Cluster 2: Creative Industries
  • Cluster 4: Digital Technologies
  • Cluster 4: Industrial Technologies
  • Cluster 5: Energy
  • Cluster 5: Mobility
  • Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
  • Innovation Procurement (PCP/PPI)

Workshop

Around 400 stakeholders from science and business took part in the international networking event “Successful R&I in Europe 2019” on 14 and 15 February.

It was the tenth time that the Ministry of Culture and Science of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia had extended an invitation to the “Successful Research & Innovation in Europe” conference in Düsseldorf. In its anniversary year, a record 400 delegates from science and business (double the figure from the first conference in 2009!) from 30 countries seized the opportunity to present not only new ideas for future projects but also research results ready for commercialisation, seek potential partners for joint “Horizon 2020” proposals and engage in networking.

Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, Minister, and Klaus Kaiser, Parliamentary State Secretary, both from the Ministry of Culture and Science, took part on behalf of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia in the international platform organised by the NRW.Europa team at ZENIT. The European Commission was represented by Dr. Wolfgang Burtscher, Deputy Director-General for Research and Innovation and Mattia Pellegrini of the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME).

The conference focussed on “Horizon 2020”, the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, for which a budget of about € 80 billion was/is available for research projects in the period from 2014 to 2020. About € 20 billion in funding are still available for the last two years of the programme.

Klaus Kaiser
Mattia Pellegrini

“Few other regions spend as much on research as we do. North Rhine-Westphalia is in a good position to deliver a valuable contribution,” said Klaus Kaiser, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture and Science, in his welcome address. He went on to say that the platform is an excellent opportunity for stakeholders in North Rhine-Westphalia to establish interesting contacts with whom to put innovative ideas into practice.

Mattia Pellegrini, Head of Department Finance and Administration at the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (the European Commission body in charge of the Enterprise Europe Network), spoke on “Ten Years of the Enterprise Europe Network: Results and Challenges”, stressing the Network’s importance for Europe’s business and research landscape.

Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen
Dr Wolfgang Burtscher
Panel Discussion

“Engaging with proposers is essential in order to identify what advice and support they require. Only in this way can a seamless transition from Horizon 2020 to Horizon Europe succeed in 2021 and can we continue to expand North Rhine-Westphalia’s participation in the forthcoming Framework Programme for Research and Innovation,” said Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, NRW’s Minister of Culture and Science, in her keynote speech entitled “Horizon Europe: First Impressions from NRW”.

Dr. Wolfgang Burtscher, Deputy Director-General for Research and Innovation, explained the draft proposal for Horizon Europe, which will follow on from Horizon 2020 and run from 2021 to 2027. The programme has a budget of € 100 billion and represents a revised and improved research and innovation agenda aimed at making better use of Europe’s globally leading role in research excellence and of its industrial strengths.

Workshop
Exhibition
Network

The conference was structured in thematic workshops – with about 120 pitches over the two-day event – and open networking sessions. The topics presented originated, amongst others, from the fields of ICT, nanotechnologies, energy, life sciences and transport.

With over 3,000 delegates in total, the “Successful R&I in Europe” conference series, for which the working language is English despite the German venue, has been a tremendous success since it first took place in 2009. This large number of participants substantiates its importance for Europe’s research and innovation calendar. The consortia it has produced have led to over 100 project proposals at EU, national and regional level. The fact that over half the delegates came from abroad confirms that the format answers a demand for networking platforms at international level.

In the framework of a parallel exhibition entitled “Innovations for Europe based in NRW”, a number of selected projects and initiatives were presented.

Delegates had at their disposal an eCar shuttle service provided with the support of local sponsors that ran between Düsseldorf Airport and the impressive venue of Van der Valk Airporthotel.

The conference profited from a broad spectrum of promotional activities undertaken by the Enterprise Europe Network, the largest business, technology and innovation support network in the world (over 600 organisations in over 60 countries), of which ZENIT is a partner in a consortium with NRW.BANK and NRW.International. Further assistance was provided by many organisations in this year’s partner countries: Belgium, Finland, France, Israel, the Netherlands and Poland.

 

(From left to right: Dr. Karsten W. Lemke, ZENIT GmbH; Dr. Wolfgang Burtscher, Deputy Director-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission; Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, Minister of Culture and Science of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia; Dr. Bernd Janson, ZENIT GmbH; Dr. Peter Fisch, moderator)

Contact:
ZENIT GmbH
Dr. Bernd Janson
Tel.: +49(0)208 30004 22
bj(at)zenit.de

Video “Impressions from Successful R&I in Europe 2019: 10th European Networking Event”

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the conference series “Successful R&I in Europe: European Networking Event”, ZENIT GmbH/NRW.Europa produced a new video to celebrate its success over the last decade. The video features both the keynote speakers (Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, NRW’s Minister of Culture and Science; Klaus Kaiser, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture and Science; Dr. Wolfgang Burtscher, Deputy Director-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission; Mattia Pellegrini, Head of Department Finance and Administration,  Executive Agency for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (EASME)) and testimonials from other important players in the European innovation and technology landscape, such as Dr. Peter Fisch, former Head of Unit at DG Research and Innovation, representatives of the Enterprise Europe Network, the National Contact Points as well as project managers and innovative enterprises in NRW.

Happy Viewing!

Link Video