2024-11-24 21:19:00
Huawei hosted Europe Innovation Day 2024 in Paris – an event where European tech executives, business representatives and innovation experts explored opportunities for cross-border and cross-industry collaboration. Under this year’s motto “Unleashing the Potential of European Innovation”, the event addressed the key challenges of digital transformation in Europe and presented strategies to strengthen regional ecosystems and improve global competitiveness.
Driving digital progress in Europe through collaboration
Jesus Contreras, Chief Operations and Financial Officer at EIT Digital, explained: “Innovation is never a solo effort, but rather relies on collaboration and exchange between all parties involved.” As he emphasized, digital innovation flourishes when global partners and customers meet with different perspectives, bringing energy and momentum to our joint efforts.
Nicola Caputo, Regional Minister of Campania (Italy) and member of the European Committee of the Regions, highlighted the challenges Europe faces in digital transformation, such as insufficient digital literacy, slow commercial uptake and inconsistent 5G coverage . He called on governments to expand cross-border cooperation to increase Europe’s global competitiveness in the digital economy.
Ximo Puig, Spain’s permanent representative to the OECD, commented: “In essence, innovation is a framework. Governments, businesses and society must use this framework to work together to promote long-term development and build a fully connected world.”
Laurent Lafforgue, a renowned mathematician at Huawei Technologies France, said: “The rapid progress of technological innovation is based on solid fundamental theories. Solid theoretical research is essential to achieve sustainable and long-term technological progress.”
Huawei is committed to long-term investments
“Innovation is a long-term process,” said Yu Liang, vice president of Huawei Cloud Global Ecosystem. He reiterated Huawei’s commitment to promoting open collaboration that creates both social and commercial value. Yu also announced Huawei’s partnership with Station F to launch a sustainability-focused incubation program. This program will support ten start-ups in sectors such as retail, automotive and industrial manufacturing with the aim of achieving dynamic growth within a seven-month incubation period.
Driving digital transformation and shaping the future of Europe
At the “Driving Digital Transformation for Europe’s Emerging Innovators” forum, co-organized by Euronews and Huawei, participants highlighted the need for cross-sector collaboration and open ecosystems. Keynote speakers included Horst Heitz, Chair of the SME Connect Steering Committee, Ana Paula Nishio de Sousa, Director of Digital Transformation and AI at the UN Industrial Development Organization, Alexander Pisemskiy, CEO at Zenpulsar, and Gaurav Tripathi, CTO at Partex NV Speakers reiterated the need for open data sharing platforms and collaborative ecosystems to create a more inclusive and adaptive innovation environment.
“Huawei Cloud will continue to invest in Europe by providing stable and reliable cloud infrastructure, working with government agencies and universities to cultivate digital talent, and helping startups scale in other regions,” said Zhu Xiaoming, Vice President, Huawei Cloud Global Industry Development. He noted that digital transformation in Europe is lagging behind the goals of the “Europe Digital Decade 2030” plan, especially in areas such as data and artificial intelligence.
Promoting inclusion and innovators
Berta Herrero, Head of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion at Huawei Europe, moderated a panel discussion around promoting women as innovators. Panelists included Rebeca de Sancho Mayoral, senior advisor for EU innovation and access to finance at the European Commission, Egle Ciuoderiene, founder of Duevo, Iva Tasheva, co-founder and head of cybersecurity at CyEn, and Gaia Verzelli, Women Leadership graduate School of Huawei. They provided insights into the EU’s funding and policy initiatives to support women entrepreneurs and called for greater participation of women in the tech innovation ecosystem to promote an inclusive and diverse environment.
A call to action
At the end of the event, Tony Yong Jin, Director of Business Environment Affairs of the European Region at Huawei, urged us to be determined to advance digital innovation and build a more connected, inclusive and sustainable Europe: “Today I call on all of us to “To embrace digital innovation – because of its enormous potential, but also because of its far-reaching impact on every individual, every family and every community.”
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How do partnerships like Huawei’s with Station F impact the innovation landscape for start-ups in Europe?
**Interview on Huawei’s Europe Innovation Day 2024**
**Interviewer:** Welcome to our special segment focusing on Huawei’s Europe Innovation Day 2024, held recently in Paris. Today, we have Jesus Contreras, the Chief Operations and Financial Officer at EIT Digital, joining us to discuss the event and its implications for digital innovation in Europe. Thank you for being here, Jesus.
**Jesus Contreras:** Thank you for having me! It’s a pleasure to discuss such an important topic.
**Interviewer:** The theme of this year’s event was “Unleashing the Potential of European Innovation.” What were some of the key discussions that took place?
**Jesus Contreras:** The focus was very much on the need for collaboration across various sectors. As I mentioned during my speech, innovation is never a solo effort. It thrives on the exchange between all parties involved. We had insightful discussions on how global partnerships can bring diverse perspectives that are essential for energizing our joint efforts in digital transformation.
**Interviewer:** Nicola Caputo pointed out some challenges, including digital literacy and inconsistent 5G coverage. How critical are these challenges for Europe’s progress?
**Jesus Contreras:** They are indeed substantial. Insufficient digital literacy can hamper adoption rates of new technologies, while inconsistent infrastructure like 5G makes it difficult for businesses to operate efficiently. Addressing these issues through increased government cooperation and investment in education and infrastructure is vital for enhancing Europe’s global competitiveness.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned collaboration, which seems to be a recurring theme. Ximo Puig described innovation as a framework that involves governments, businesses, and society. In your view, how can these entities work together effectively?
**Jesus Contreras:** Collaboration must begin with open communication and shared goals. By aligning interests and promoting transparency, we can build a framework that encourages innovation. Initiatives like open data sharing can facilitate this process, enabling us to create a more adaptive innovation ecosystem that benefits everyone.
**Interviewer:** During the event, Huawei announced a partnership with Station F to support start-ups. How do such initiatives contribute to the overall innovation landscape?
**Jesus Contreras:** Initiatives like these are crucial. They not only provide financial support but also mentorship and resources that can help emerging businesses thrive. By focusing on sustainable practices, these start-ups can drive transformative changes across sectors like retail and automotive, ultimately stimulating economic growth and innovation throughout Europe.
**Interviewer:** what are your hopes for the future of digital transformation in Europe following this year’s discussions?
**Jesus Contreras:** I am optimistic. The commitment to collaboration and investment in ecosystems evident at Europe Innovation Day suggests we are on the right path. If we can tackle the challenges together and leverage our collective strengths, I truly believe we can enhance Europe’s position as a leader in the digital economy.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Jesus. Your insights into the discussions at Huawei’s Europe Innovation Day 2024 shed light on the collective journey towards digital transformation in Europe.
**Jesus Contreras:** Thank you for the opportunity to speak about these important topics.
