Startup Europe Partnership Launch on May 22nd in Brussels

This yearʼs edition of the Europe 2020 Summit will convene just days after the launch of the European Commission consultation on the future of this vital growth and jobs programme, which is up for review in Spring 2015. Participants will discuss how this important European Union policy agenda can be renewed and revamped to fit the realities of the post-crisis world. José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, will deliver the opening address of this yearʼs Europe 2020 Summit.
The Summit will also mark the Brussels launch of the European Digital Forum, a new think tank spearheaded by the Lisbon Council and Nesta, and Startup Europe Partnership, an innovative platform led by Mind the Bridge and Nesta. Neelie Kroes, vice-president of the European Commission and commissioner for the digital agenda, will keynote. Ann Mettler (executive director, The Lisbon Council/European Digital Forum) and Alberto Onetti (Chairman, Mind the Bridge Foundation/Startup Europe Partnership), together with some key representatives of the SEP Corporate Members (BBVA, Orange, Telefónica, European Investment Fund, Telecom Italia), will introduce the two programs.

Brussels Launch of the European Digital Forum and Startup Europe Partnership

Brussels, May 22nd, 2014

With:

• José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission,
• Neelie Kroes, vice-president responsible for the Digital Agenda at the European Commission

Additional Interventions:

• Bart van Ark, executive vice-president, chief economist and chief strategy officer of The Conference Board, one of the world’s most renowned experts on productivity and growth
• Sherry Coutu, angel investor and non-executive director at the London Stock Exchange Group, who was voted by Wired magazine as one of the top 25 “most influential people in the world”
• Kaya Taner, CEO and co-founder, Applift; member of the European board, Application Developers Alliance
• Mark Silverstein, head, product, tech, IP and policy, Spotify
• Chris Haley, head of start-ups and new tech research at Nesta, the UK’s innovation charity
• Dirk Pilat, deputy director, science, technology and industry directorate, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
• Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten, founder and CEO, The Next Web; member, the Leaders Club, an independent group of founders in the field of tech entrepreneurship
• Ann Mettler (executive director, The Lisbon Council/European Digital Forum)
• Alberto Onetti (Chairman, Mind the Bridge Foundation/Startup Europe Partnership)
• Simon Schaefer, founder and CEO, the Factory
• Javier Arias, corporate director; group head, EU affairs, BBVA
• Pierre Louette, deputy CEO; group general secretary, Orange
• Frédéric Michel, global director, public engagement, Europe director, public affairs and communications, Telefónica
• Marjut Santoni, deputy CEO, European Investment Fund

Only registered participants will have access to the venue (Résidence Palace, 155 rue de la Loi, 1040 Brussels). If you are interested in attending the Europe 2020 Summit and launch of the EDF and SEP, please send an e-mail at your earliest convenience with the subject heading “Europe 2020” to info@startupeuropepartnership.eu. Seats will be assigned on a first-come, first served basis.