On 22 January 2025, the European IP Helpdesk IP Ambassadors gathered in Brussels for their Winter Summit. The session started with a warm welcome by the coordinators of the IP Ambassador Network, Claire Fritz and Dr Ivana Vuka, emphasizing the crucial role of the Ambassadors in building a strong and dynamic European innovation ecosystem. The day continued with a keynote session, providing an overview of the European IP Helpdesk’s recent achievements, key milestones, ongoing initiatives, and future plans to enhance innovation across Europe through strategic intellectual property (IP) support. Following the keynote, a lively group discussion brought together representatives from various types of organisations, (Technology Transfer Offices, Chambers of Commerce, Innovation Agencies etc.) to explore how the network can adapt to the evolving needs of innovation landscape European Union and identified strategies to enhance its impact and value. The Winter Summit was concluded with an interactive workshop “Amplifying the Value of the IP Helpdesk Community in the Innovation Ecosystem” where participants explored ways to strengthen the network’s contribution to Europe’s innovation ecosystem. They discussed the tools, resources, and strategies needed to expand impact and shared ideas for future collaborations and community growth.
The day after the Ambassadors Winter Summit, the European IP Helpdesk in collaboration with the Impact Licensing Initiative (ILI), hosted its Annual Stakeholder Event. The event brought together representatives from various European Commission units, IP experts, impact investors, innovators, and policymakers alongside key stakeholders, including the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the Horizon Standardisation Booster (HS Booster), ASTP, the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) as well as the International IP SME Helpdesks. Entitled "Unlocking the Power of Impact Investment for European’s IP-Driven Innovation" the event shed light on groundbreaking approaches to financing impact licensing and developing investment-ready IP strategies.
The event began with a welcome from the Coordinators of the European IP Helpdesk and the Impact Licensing Initiative, Claire Fritz and Johan Moyersoen. The first keynote session, delivered by Cliff Prior, former CEO at the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment, highlighted the important role of impact investment in driving growth and the importance of IP in bolstering sustainability initiatives. Following the first keynote speech, the Director of Impact Licensing Studio, Jennifer Marzullo, underscored how impact licensing transforms IP into a catalyst for impact investment, blending economic returns with measurable societal and environmental benefits, and opening new pathways for innovation and sustainable development. The morning session proceeded with an engaging panel discussion titled “Bridging Innovation and Impact Investment.” Moderated by Christian Polman, EthicalFin expert, the panel featured Ioannis Sagias, Deputy Head of Unit for Valorisation Policies and IPR at DG Research & Innovation, Jan Rongé, CEO of Solhyd, Christl Joris, President of the Gillès Foundation, and Natalia Mejia Pardo, Program Manager at The Data Tank. The discussion provided valuable insights into connecting innovation with impact investment to drive meaningful change. At the end of the panel discussion, the ILI project members Cemre Yücebalkan and Johan Moyersoen outlined the project’s upcoming activities, including the development and validation of the impact licensing toolkit, stakeholder consultations, and pilot initiatives that will test licensing models in real-world scenarios. The event concluded with the interactive breakout sessions focused on five distinct areas:
- Understanding the Structure of Impact Licensing
- Innovative Financing Models for Impact Licensing
- Aligning Stakeholders: Collaboration Strategies for Effective Impact Licensing
- How Impact Licensing Drives Innovation
- Crafting Investment-Ready IP Strategies for Impact Investors
Participants had the opportunity to learn from world-class speakers, engage in dynamic discussions, and collaborate with like-minded professionals committed to innovation and sustainable development. It was a real pleasure to see how much fun our guests had as about 60% of our audience also stood until the very end of the afternoon session.
Details
- Publication date
- 27 January 2025
- Author
- European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency