EuroTech October Events 2026

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
• Jeanne Rubner, Vice President Global Communication and Public Engagement, Technical University of Munich

Introductory address:

• Thierry Coulhon, President, EuroTech & President, Institut Polytechnique de Paris

Keynote conversation:

• Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, European Commission
• Kerstin Jorna, Director-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission (tbc)
• Clément Beaune, French High Commissioner for Strategy and Planning
• Bernard Magenhann, Director-General of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission

From semiconductors and photonics to quantum, AI, robotics and advanced materials, Europe’s next technological breakthroughs will increasingly emerge at the intersections between fields. Stronger connections across disciplines and access to the advanced research and technology infrastructures, computing, data, pilot lines and experimentation capabilities is essential to combine and test technologies at the frontier.

Opening:

• Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, President, Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

• Maximilian Schiffer & Axel Parmentier, Co-CEOs & Co-founders, Praedon

• 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 (tbc)
• Anne Van den Bosch, Vice President Public R&D Policies & Programmes, imec (tbc)

Fishbowl discussion: join the conversation and bring your ideas on what Europe needs to build leadership at the intersections of digital and enabling technologies: where can Europe develop distinctive strengths, how can we break silos and unlock cross-fertilisation between technologies and across sectors, how can research & technology infrastructures accelerate the translation of frontier research into impact at scale?

• Mark Verhagen, CEO, RIFT
• Remy Buser, Co-founder and co-CEO, Bloom Biorenewables

• Karen Scrivener, Professor of Construction Materials & Academic Director, Centre for Worldwide Sustainable Construction, EPFL
• Stefaan Vergote, Senior Advisor for Low carbon Innovation, DG CLIMA, European Commission 
• Allegra Kowalewski Ferreira, Partner and Company Builder, Breakthrough Energy
• Anne-Laure de Chammard, Member of the Executive Board, Siemens Energy-Transformation of Industry (tbc)

Refreshments and informal networking.

• Ulrike Protzer, Chair of Virology and Head of Preclinical Medicine, TUM; Director, Institute of Virology, Helmholtz Munich
• Henriette Van Eijl, Deputy Director People & Head of Unit, Health and Societal Transitions, DG RTD, European Commission
• Uri Sivan, President, Technion
• Niklas Blomberg, Executive Director, Innovative Health Initiative (tbc) 

Europe has strong technological, industrial and scientific assets in security and space, but they remain fragmented across countries and systems. The challenge is to connect them into interoperable European capabilities, while harnessing the dual-use potential of key technologies and strengthening trusted cooperation across Europe.

Opening by: 

• Gerhard Krämer, Vice President Research and Innovation, TUM 

Deep-tech start-up pitches

• Jean-Luc Maria, CEO & Co-founder, Exotrail (tbc)

Panel & Fishbowl discussion:

• Bruno Bellier, Director General, Ecole Polytechnique (X)
• Hugh Brady, President, Imperial College London
• Zuzana Mazanova, Deputy Director & Head of Unit, Space Single Market, DG DEFIS, European Commission
• Martin Ubelhor, Head of Unit, Innovation and Strategic autonomy, DG HOME, European Commission
• Dietmar Pilz, Director of Technology, Engineering and Quality, European Space Agency 

Fishbowl discussion: join the conversation and bring your ideas on what Europe needs to strengthen resilience through security and space: where does fragmentation most constrain Europe today, how can we build more coherent and interoperable European capabilities, unlock the dual-use potential of key technologies, and deepen cross-border cooperation in research and innovation?

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, President, EuroTech & President, Institut Polytechnique de Paris
• Michal Pěchouček, President, Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU)
• Tiit Land, President, Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech)

Fireside chat – Jointly Shaping Europe’s Next Tech Era: Excellence at Scale

• 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