Europe is great at doing excellent research. But while it generates new and significant knowledge, it still fails at translating this knowledge into new products and services for society. The lack of financial incentives and of adequate framework conditions for innovation to strive are often blamed for this. And when the ‘first hand transfer’ from fundamental knowledge to a start-up or a young company takes you are kindly invited to the conference: place, no sufficient support is then provided for the company to grow. The European Commission is currently proposing new initiatives to address the Getting it right: what are the best funding bottlenecks that do not allow young companies to strive. Initiatives such as the revision of the Financial Regulation, the scale-up Communication, the Venture mechanisms for innovation? Capital Union and the set-up of a European Innovation Council all aim at the same goal. 8 March 2017, 15.00-17.30 The discussion around the right framework conditions and funding mechanisms for BIP (Brussels Info Place), Salle des Guichets innovation also gain impetus, among others from the work of the High Level Group Rue Royale 2-4, 1000 Brussels on maximizing impact of EU Research and Innovation Programmes, the Horizon 2020 interim evaluation and the preparation for the next European Framework Programme (FP9). hosted by The workshop will allow elaborating on the strengths of the current European Urs Bucher model, on new initiatives, as well as on what conditions would be appropriate to Ambassador, Head of Mission of Switzerland to the EU ensure a larger number of scale-ups at the European level. Both the public and private sectors will be able to provide their perspective. Christian Ehler The issues related to the limits of the current situation and to the aspects that Member of the European Parliament should be improved will be addressed by Aymeric Sallin, a Swiss entrepreneur who had to leave Europe for the United States’ West Coast in order to find investors with ready to provide the needed support. Similarly, Werner Cautreels, a Belgian entrepreneur who led different companies in Europe (Sanofi, Solvay, etc) also Carlos Moedas decided to join a start-up company on the US East Coast to find the adequate Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, European Commission conditions for his undertakings. Mauro Dell’Ambrogio Against this background, the panel discussion will address the following questions Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation and feed the debate about the upcoming European Framework Programme and its set-up: Mark Ferguson Why does Europe fail at supporting innovation and which are the Director General, Science Foundation Ireland and Member of EU High Level bottlenecks in legislation and funding mechanism? Expert Group on H2020 Impact What are the right funding mechanisms to foster innovation? What lessons can be learned for FP9? Aymeric Sallin Founder and CEO of NanoDimension a nanotechnology-focused venture capital What incentives can the European Union provide for creating the right company which left Europe for the West Coast environment for long-term and sustainable innovation? What could we learn from innovative countries, such as Switzerland? Werner Cautreels CEO of Selecta Biosciences, What type of support do the entrepreneurs need in practical terms? a biotech startup located on the East Coast Christian Ehler – Member of the European Parliament Programme Managing Director of Biotech GmbH between 2000 and 2010, Christian Ehler was appointed MEP in 2004. He is Member of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) as well as the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and its Co-Coordinator. In 2011 Christian Ehler was nominated as the Parliament’s Rapporteur for the Rules of Participation of Horizon. Currently, he participates in the ITRE-Working Group on Horizon 2020. 14:30 Registration Carlos Moedas – Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas holds a degree in civil engineering from the Instituto Superior Técnico and an 15:00 Welcome MBA from Harvard Business School. He has worked for Goldman Sachs and Eurohypo Urs Bucher, Ambassador, Head of Mission of Switzerland to the EU Investment Bank. Elected a Member of Parliament in 2011, he was appointed Secretary of State working directly under the Prime Minister. In this capacity, he was Portugal's chief interlocutor with the Troika (Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary 15:10 Opening address: Building up the support for innovation in Fund), and also supervised the implementation of the programme agreed with the Europe international creditors. Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Mauro Dell’Ambrogio - Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation Holder of a Doctorate in Law from the University of Zurich, Mauro Dell’Ambrogio held a number of public offices in canton Ticino from 1979 to 1999 after passing his bar exam, 15:25 Case 1: Why do young innovative companies leave Europe? notably Secretary-General for Education and Culture and Secretary-General of the Università Aymeric Sallin, Founder and CEO of NanoDimension della Svizzera italiana (USI). He was made Director of the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI) in 2003. He has been mayor of Giubiasco, a member of the Ticino cantonal parliament and chairman of the Ticino electricity works. From 2008 to 2012 he has been State Secretary for Education and Research. In January 2013, he took up the post of 15:45 Case 2: How to set up the right framework conditions in State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation. Europe for innovation? Werner Cautreels, President and CEO of Selecta Biosciences Mark Ferguson, Director General, Science Foundation Ireland Professor Mark W.J. Ferguson commenced as Director General of Science Foundation Ireland in January 2012 and as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland in October 2012. 16:05 Panel discussion: Prof Ferguson is a founding member of the Small Advanced Economies Initiative, Chair of the eHealth Ireland Committee, a member of EU High Level Expert Group on H2020 Impact and Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation has been involved in a number of international reviews of R&D systems, including Hungary Mauro Dell’Ambrogio, Swiss State Secretary for Education, and Canada. Previously, Mark Ferguson was appointed Professor in Life Sciences at the Research and Innovation University of Manchester in 1984, aged 28, when he was the youngest Professor in Britain. Mark Ferguson, Director General, Science Foundation Ireland Werner Cautreels – President and CEO Of Selecta Biosciences Aymeric Sallin, Founder and CEO of NanoDimension Werner Cautreels is since 2010 President and CEO of Selecta Biosciences Inc. (Boston, USA). Werner Cautreels, President and CEO of Selecta Biosciences Cautreels has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Before joining Selecta he was Global CEO of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, based in Brussels. Before becoming CEO of Solvay Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament Pharmaceuticals he was the Head of R&D. Prior to joining Solvay he was employed by Sanofi, Sterling Winthrop and Nycomed-Amersham in a variety of R&D management positions in 16:50 Concluding remarks by Europe and in the United States. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Antwerp Mauro Dell’Ambrogio and Christian Ehler and a management and financial education from the Harvard Business School. Aymeric Sallin – Founder and CEO of NanoDimension Aymeric Sallin is the Founder and CEO of NanoDimension, a nanotechnology-focused venture 17:00 Networking Apéro capital company established in 2002 (Silicon Valley, USA). The firm invests in companies that use break-through nanotechnology to solve critical problems of today’s society and helps them become global leaders in their respective sector. In 2010, Sallin was honoured as one of the 20 key figures of Silicon Valley. He is a Young Global Leader from the Word Economic Forum and a member of the Strategic Advisory Board of EPFL. He holds a Masters in Physical Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). .