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EuroTech October Events 2026

The EuroTech October Events 2026 will gather the Alliance’s leadership, researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and innovation stakeholders in Brussels for two days of strategic dialogue, collaboration and celebration.

The programme includes the EuroTech Summit 2026, bringing together leaders from academia, industry, start-ups and EU institutions to discuss how frontier technologies can strengthen Europe’s competitiveness, innovation and technology resilience. Participants will also celebrate 15 years of the EuroTech Universities Alliance, including the EuroTech Rising Stars Award Ceremony and Innovation Frontier exhibition.

The EuroTech Researchers’ Forum 2026 will provide a members-only platform for EuroTech Presidents, governance bodies, research leaders and Research & Technology Area experts to advance collaboration across the Alliance’s strategic priorities.

The October Events will conclude with the EuroTech Presidents’ Board Meeting and Presidents’ Dinner on 29 October, providing an opportunity for the Alliance’s leadership to discuss strategic priorities and future directions.

Programme

DAY 1 | 28 October

EuroTech Summit 2026 – “Unlocking Frontier Tech for Europe”
The EuroTech Summit 2026 will explore how Europe can turn frontier science and emerging technologies into competitiveness, societal impact and strategic capabilities. Across four interactive sessions on digital and enabling technologies, clean tech and energy, health and biotech, and security and space, leaders from research, industry and policy will examine where Europe can lead, how to move faster from breakthrough to impact, and how stronger connections across technologies, infrastructures, skills and ecosystems can unlock Europe’s deep-tech potential. 

The Summit will convene senior European and global leaders from academia, industry and government, bringing deep expertise across frontier technologies and innovation. Interactive fishbowl discussions will give participants the opportunity to join the conversation, share their perspectives and engage directly with speakers and peers. Participation is by invitation only.

Welcome coffee and an exhibition showcasing frontier technologies and innovations from across the EuroTech community.

Europe’s next technology choices are being shaped at the research frontier. Bringing together national and EU perspectives, this opening session will explore how insights from science and technology can inform Europe’s strategic priorities, investment and industrial choices, strengthen competitiveness and resilience, and accelerate the societal uptake of new technologies.

Welcome:

  • Sophie Viscido, Secretary-General, EuroTech Universities Alliance

Introductory address:

  • Thierry Coulhon, EuroTech President & IP Paris President

Keynote conversation:

  • Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, European Commission
  • Clément Beaune, French High Commissioner for Strategy and Planning
  • Bernard Magenhann, Director-General of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission
  • Eszter Lakos, Member of the European Parliament, ITRE and STOA Member, Shadow Rapporteur on Horizon Europe 2028-2034 (tbc)

From semiconductors and photonics to quantum, AI, robotics and advanced materials, technology convergence is reshaping research and opening new frontiers for European innovation for industry & society.

Opening:

  • Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, President, Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Deep-tech start-up pitches:
  • Maximilian Schiffer & Axel Parmentier, Co-CEOs & Co-founders, Praedon
Panel & Fishbowl discussion:
  • Richard Kemkers, Head of Research, ASML
  • Pierre Chastanet, Head of Unit Microelectronics and Photonics, DG CNECT, European Commission
  • Tejs Vegge, Member of the European Commission High-Level Groups on Advanced Materials and AI in Science, DTU
  • Carsten Schierenbeck, Head of Unit for Industrial Transformation, DG RTD, European Commission
  • Anne Van den Bosch, Vice President Public R&D Policies & Programmes, imec (tbc)

Join the conversation and bring your ideas on what Europe needs to strengthen its position in digital and enabling technologies: where can Europe lead, how can we break silos and unlock cross-fertilisation between technologies and sectors, build the skills and talent base needed, and better connect research, innovation and industrial needs to turn convergence into impact at scale?

Connecting frontier research, demonstration and deployment in energy and clean technologies, with feedback from real-world application helping shape the next generation of research and innovation

Opening:

  • Koen Janssen, President, Technical University of Eindhoven 

Deep-tech start-up pitches

  • Mark Verhagen, CEO, RIFT
  • Samantha Anderson, CEO and Co-founder, DePoly (tbc)
Panel & Fishbowl discussion:
  • Karen Scrivener, Professor of Construction Materials & Academic Director, Centre for Worldwide Sustainable Construction, EPFL
  • Agnieszka Skonieczna, Head of Unit, Public Investment, European Commission (DG GROW)
  • Stefanie Hiesinger, Head of Unit Research & Low carbon technology deployment, European Commission (DG CLIMA)
  • Julia Reinaud, Senior Director, Breakthrough Energy (tbc)
  • Anne-Laure de Chammard, Member of the Executive Board, Siemens Energy-Transformation of Industry (tbc)
Join the conversation and bring your ideas on what Europe needs next in clean tech and energy: how can we move faster from breakthrough research to demonstration and deployment, bring real-world learning back into research, and build more agile links across researchers, industry, investors and public actors?

Refreshments and informal networking.

From health and biotechnology to agriculture and food, emerging scientific and technological frontiers are opening new pathways for innovation, accelerated through shared infrastructures, data, experimentation capabilities and international collaboration.

Opening:

  • Anders Bjarklev, President, Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Deep-tech start-up pitches:
  • Christian Spier, CEO & Co-founder, Differential Bio
  • Amir Rosenthal, CEO & Co-founder, FullView Medical

Pannel & fishbowl discussion:

  • Hugh Brady, President, Imperial College London
  • Ulrike Protzer, Chair of Virology and Head of Preclinical Medicine, TUM; Director, Institute of Virology, Helmholtz Munich
  • Niklas Blomberg, Executive Director, Innovative Health Initiative (IHI)
  • Kasper Møller, Chief Technology Officer, ABC Biologics (tbc)
  • Carmen Laplaza Santos, Head of Unit Health Innovations & Ecosystems, DG RTD, European Commission (tbc)
Join the conversation and bring your ideas on what Europe needs to move faster in health, biotech, agriculture and food, how can we widen access to state-of-the-art research & technology infrastructures, close capability gaps, and deepen international collaboration while safeguarding knowledge security?

Frontier technologies are reshaping security and space, opening new opportunities to strengthen Europe’s resilience, technological leadership and cross-border collaboration between research, industry, public authorities and end-users.

Opening by: 

  • Gerhard Krämer, Vice President Research and Innovation, TUM 

Deep-tech start-up pitches

  • Arne Døssing Andreasen, CEO & Co-founder, UMag Solutions (tbc)

Panel & Fishbowl discussion:

  • Bruno Bellier, President, Ecole Polytechnique (X)
  • Martin Ubelhor, Head of Unit, Innovation and Strategic autonomy, DG HOME, European Commission
  • Catherine Kavvada, Director, Secure and Connected Space, DG DEFIS, European Commission (tbc)
  • Hervé Derrey, CEO, Thales Alenia Space (tbc)
Join the conversation and bring your ideas on what Europe needs to strengthen resilience through security and space: how can we build strategic capabilities, unlock the dual-use potential of emerging technologies, accelerate spin-off creation and market uptake, and deepen cross-border collaboration in research and innovation in these fields? 

Europe’s strength in frontier technologies comes from connecting capabilities across borders, disciplines and sectors. Marking 15 years of EuroTech, the reception will look ahead to how deeper ecosystem connections can build critical mass, strengthen Europe’s global technological position, and increase competitiveness, while celebrating the EuroTech Rising Stars, the emerging research leaders whose ideas and talent are shaping its next frontiers.

EuroTech: Past-Present-Future:

  • Thierry Coulhon, IP Paris President & EuroTech President 
  • Michal Pěchouček, President, CTU
  • Tiit Land, President, TalTech

Fireside chat:

  • Thierry Coulhon, IP Paris President & EuroTech President 
  • Jean-David Malo, Acting Director for the European Research Area and Innovation, DG RTD, European Commission

EuroTech Rising Stars Award Ceremony:

  • Thierry Coulhon, IP Paris President & EuroTech President
  • Jean-David Malo, Acting Director for the European Research Area and Innovation, DG RTD, European Commission
  • EuroTech Rising Stars 2026

Evening networking reception celebrating 15 years of EuroTech.

DAY 2 | 29 October

EuroTech Community Events

Through keynote discussions and interactive world cafés, participants will explore how EuroTech can advance research, education, infrastructure and innovation to reinforce Europe’s leadership in frontier technologies.

The EuroTech Presidents’ Board Meeting will bring together the Presidents of the member universities to discuss the Alliance’s strategic priorities, governance and future direction. The meeting will be followed by the Presidents’ Dinner, providing an opportunity for informal exchange and continued strategic dialogue.

Registration

Upon invitation.

Contact

For inquiries, reach out to the EuroTech Brussels Team at [email protected].

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