Sessions

 

AGATA HIDALGO (France Digitale, Paris)

Title: Advocacy for startups: lessons from France

Abstract: In just 10 years, the French startup ecosystem has gone from zero to the top 3 in Europe, alongside the UK and Germany. Despite the current economic downturn, investment in French startups reached 2 billion EUR in June 2022, with Ecovadis, a sustainability ratings provider, becoming the 28th unicorn in the country, making France second only to the UK. An increasing number of foreign startups are also betting on France, launching country offices and adding to job creation by local startups. But the tide is turning, leaving entrepreneurs and investors with a lot of questions about how to deal with low valuations, high inflation and soaring energy costs.

What is the role of an advocacy group like France Digitale in these developments? What victories has it achieved at home and at EU level? And what challenges lie ahead for French and European investors and entrepreneurs to thrive globally? In this session you will learn (1) what factors contributed to the rise of the French startup ecosystem (2) the role of France Digitale as an advocacy group in building this ecosystem and (3) what remains to be done to overcome the current recession and stay internationally competitive.

Further questions:

  • How is Europe currently positioned in the global race for technological supremacy between the US, the EU and China? What is the role of regulation and legislation in this race?
  • How can advocacy organisation of entrepreneurs, such as the France Digitale, shape the EU regulation?
  • How can a strong international tech community be forged from various stakeholders in the digital economy that can influence technology-friendly regulation at European level?

 

MICAELA VEIRA (Startup Madeira, Funchal)

Title: It’s all about Community: From local ecosystem of Madeira to the World

Abstract: Established in 1997, Startup Madeira is an incubation center, which goal is to contribute to the emergence of startup companies, supporting them in the early stages and in the aggregation of value, contributing to boosting the business environment of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, Portugal. We act as an instrument for boosting entrepreneurship, innovation, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Startup Madeira is a full member of EBN - European Business and Innovation Centres Network in such a way that it allows additional support in the development of innovative projects, in such important matters as exportation to foreign markets, internationalization/transnational co-operation, exchange of experiences, transfer of know-how and technology, as well as contacts with other enterprises supported by the innovation centers. It also contributes to an efficient and prompt connection with other programs and entities linked to the European Union. Besides local programs, mainly for regional entrepreneurs, Startup Madeira also runs international initiatives such as Madeira Startup Retreat and the renowned Digital Nomads Madeira Islands.

Further questions:

  • How can we build strong digital startup communities in our age, when digitisation is drastically lowering market entry barriers?
  • What role could the government and EU support play in creating a startup ecosystem in relatively remote locations with no strong entrepreneurial tradition?
  • How to attract the critical mass of talent, including the so-called digital nomads?

 

MAGDALENA JABLONSKA (MIT Enterprise Forum CEE, Warsaw)

Title: Central and Eastern Europe: The new hotspot for startups

Abstract: The presentations begins withashort overview of the startup ecosystem in Poland and in Central and Eastern Europe. Than, it will raise the main question of how can CEE’s entrepreneurial centres scale from hubs to full-grown ecosystems? In details, the perasentation will look at the role of startup ecosystem players from the perspective of MIT EF CEE accelerator. Nevertheless, the presentation will also rasie the queston of what could be the role of entrepreneurial centres in a time of crisis?

Further questions:

  • Why is it important for startups in Central and Eastern Europe to find bridges to the global startup hubs, particularly those in the US, and how to create such bridges?
  • What are benefits when different players of the startup ecosystem, particularly the accelerators of the region co-ordinate their overseas co-operations?
  • As the development of the startup world in Central and Eastern Europe is in its initial stage, what role could or should the government play in this process?

 

MICHAEL CRAWFORD (Howard University, Washington D.C.)

Title:

Abstract: The application and the future of possible effects and role of disruptive technologies such as AI in healthcare.

Further questions:

  • How can digital technology improve healthcare and what role do start-ups play in this?
  • Is digital healthcare the future that benefits everyone, including vulnerable people?
  • How to tackle the thorny issue of data and privacy in healthcare?

 

KAITLIN CAPOBIANCO (HalcyonHouse, Washington D.C.)

Title:

Abstract: Startups are more than just of chasing profits, their social and environmental impacts are also crucially important, not only in highly developed countries, but also in the Sub-Saharan region of Africa, where the startup world is just in the beginning.

Further questions:

  • How do accelerators differ in program design and mentoring when focusing on high-profit startups versus startups with social and environmental impact?
  • What role does community building play in incubating impact-driven startups?
  • What are the short- and long-term social rewards of incubators/accelerators focusing more on impact-driven startups?

 

MARYLA WOJCZIESEK (Huge Things, Warsaw)

Title:

Abstract: Teaching the startupers to behave as an owner, to carry out their plans and to stick to their own vision are at least as important as helping the startups with different funding programs.

Further questions:

  • How to prepare startupers to stick to their own ideas in a fast changing business world?
  • How to nurture talent, particularly the young startupers that they can develop their expertise?
  • Scientist and startupers are living in two different worlds, though for innovation they have to push the boundaries and move to each other’s terrains. How could an accelerator facilitate scientists and university students to become startupers?

 

SANDRA MILLER (Runway Innovation Hub, San Francisco)

Title:

Asbtract: One if not the most important key for Silicon Valley is to try, fail, learn from it and try again, since failing is normal and necessary for a success. Similarly, when we are talking about startups, we should not forget the crucial co-operation between startups and large corporates.

Further questions:

  • How the entrepreneurial culture influences the success of a startup ecosystem?
  • What values are of crucial importance to establish a flourishing startup ecosystem, and what is the lesson that we can learn from Silicon Valley?
  • What are the mutual benefits when small startups and large corporates work together in innovation?

 

ANDREA FILIPPETTI (National Research Council, Rome)

Title:

Abstract: The startup ecosystems in Italy are different from other European ecosystems. Particularly, the role of family-owned SME-s are much more important than that of the startups as these SME-s are capable to implement the new digital technologies as well.

Further qustions:

  • The crucial role university-industry linkages in innovation and how to support them?
  • How to capitalise on the talent of university students for the development of the startup world?
  • Is good education system enough to build the linkages between universities and industries and business, or do we need special institutions to unleash the creative energies? 

 

MONIKA SYNORADZKA (SpeedUp Group, Poznan)

Title:

Abstract: The Huge Thing and the SpeedUp Group are deeply engaged to utilise potential of talents and invest in the talent in Central and Eastern Europe.

Further questions:

  • Why are there only a few unicorns in Central and Eastern Europe and what is needed for more unicorns?
  • From a venture capital investor perspective, does Central and Eastern Europe have the market size that allows the startups to grow and scale, or is it better for startups to go global from the very start?
  • What is needed for a stronger and more active venture capital market in Central and Eastern Europe?

 

MAFINI DOSSO (Joint Research Centre, Seville)

Title:

Asbtract: The focus of the presentation will be on the case study achieved by a consortium of 15 startups in Côte d'Ivoire (1st economy of West Africa). The presentation also analyses the background about recent startup policy evolutions in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as continental figures about startups and innovation hubs. The case study consists of EU survey forms + semi-structured interviews run in April-May 2022 and will be the focus of the chapter on sub-Saharan Africa in the forthcoming Global Innovation Index edited by WIPO.

Further questions:

  • What can Europe learn from the African technology hubs and their youth-led innovation communities and networks?
  • What are the differences in policy environment for startup ecosystems between Europe and Africa?
  • What role could the startups play in strengthening the innovation networks between Europe and Africa?