As climate change becomes increasingly visible, governments and societies are calling for stronger environmental action. Transitioning to a low-carbon, sustainable economy is seen as essential, with over 140 countries—responsible for about 90% of global CO₂ emissions—setting or considering net-zero targets for 2050. However, achieving these goals requires more than scaling up existing technologies; it demands transformative innovation. True progress lies in creating and spreading new ideas, methods, and technologies across sectors, alongside a widespread shift in behaviour toward sustainability and continuous, radical innovation.

Therefore, the questions at the heart of this Innovation Debate are:

- How can knowledge transfer between academia and startups accelerate the adoption of low-carbon technologies?

- What types of breakthrough innovations are currently emerging from green energy startups that could reshape the energy landscape in Europe?

- How can European startups access more resources for green innovation while maintaining their agility and flexibility?

- What barriers do startups face in securing venture capital for green projects, and how can they overcome them?

- How can startups accelerate the emerging clean energy technologies, and what challenges do they face in scaling these innovations?

- How can Europe better integrate sustainability into its innovation policies, ensuring that startups can grow while contributing to the green transition?

Panellists are:

Prof. Dimitris Christopoulos (Edinburgh Business School)

Dávid Nagy T. (student researcher at CNTF)

Moderator: Prof. Zoltán Cséfalvay (Head of CNTF)

Green Innovation: Knowledge, Investments and Startups in Europe

13:30 – 13:50: Keynote by Prof. Dimitris Christopoulos (Edinburgh Business School): Patents and Venture Capital Impact on Green Innovation

13:50 – 14:00: Science in Brief by Dávid Nagy T. (student researcher at CNTF): The impact of knowledge and startups on Greentech energy sector in Europe.

14:00 – 14:50: Moderated discussion, panellists: Prof. Dimitris Christopoulos and Dávid Nagy T., moderator: Prof. Zoltán Cséfalvay (Head of CNTF)

14:50 – 15:00: Discussion with the audience.

The MCC Innovation Debates are open to MCC students and the general public. The debates are organised by the Centre for Next Technological Futures (https://cntf.mcc.hu) which conducts research and provides education on the emergence of new digital technologies (robotics, Big Data, artificial intelligence) and their impact on economy, society and geopolitics. Particularly, it focuses on innovation economics, entrepreneurship and startup ecosystems, and recently published its book – Startups and Robots – including papers of CNTF’s researchers and students.