New Year Reception 2024

15 Years K4I Forum in the European Parliament

From Brussels to Lisbon - with a stopover in Dubai

30 January 2024, 18:00, European Parliament, Brussels

At the occasion of the K4I Forum New Year Reception 2024 we will celebrate 15 years K4I and present Allied4Future (A4F), a global forum dedicated to generating positive impact for a sustainable, circular, and inclusive world with a focus on sustainable finance and climate impact.

The launch will be accompanied by a special Innovators Magazine titled “15 Years K4I Forum in the European Parliament: From Brussels to Lisbon - with a stopover in Dubai” and handed over to our valued K4I members, partners, colleagues and friends from the European Parliament, the Commission and the shakers and makers of the European Innovation Area.? At the same time the A4F website will go live.

Here is the (his)story

From Brussels…

Since 2009 the Knowledge4innovation Forum in the European Parliament provides a space for debate on the future of innovation in Europe. From the beginning, the Forum advocated for innovation to become the top priority in European policy making which was encouraged by then Commission President José Manuel Barroso at the 1st European Innovation Summit (read about it).

Innovation will be the key to Europe's recovery and to building a more sustainable economy and society after the crisis. Innovation is not just about product development: it is about how our society changes and improves. Innovation is about the way we do business, the way we work, the options we choose as consumers and citizens.

José Manuel Barroso, Former European Commission President

In the following years the K4I Forum accompanied the innovation activities in the European Parliament and Commission and we could observe, with great pleasure, a constant development in DG RTD which has been named DG for Research and Innovation and finally in Horizon Europe the third pillar was dedicated to Innovative Europe with the European Innovation Council at its heart and more than 10 bn euro funding for Europe’s startups.

The 7th European Innovation Summit is an important moment for discussion on how European innovation can contribute to our continent's competitiveness and to solving global challenges. I would like to see Europe go further and faster towards open innovation.

Carlos Moedas , Former European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation

In 2017 we organised the only ever startup pitching competition in a parliamentary plenary hall, the Hemicycle of the European Parliament. From 300 preselected startups we invited the ‘EUTOP50’ to present their business idea and we awarded the best 3/5 elected by hundreds of participants in the audience.

Throughout all this time we had regular joint activities with the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT) and in particular from EIT RawMaterials. The K4I Forum chair, Maria da Gra?a Carvalho was the Rapporteur for the review of the EIT Regulation and Strategic Innovation Agenda.

Since 2019 when we organised the 1st AI & big data for Innovation Summit, AI is one of the focal points of our events programme supported through a close cooperation with the appliedAI Institute for Europe initiative.

During and after the Covid shut down, the Forum activities were spurred by a close collaboration with then Commissioner Mariya Gabriel in particular for the preparation of the European Innovation Area initiative and the New European Innovation Agenda which developed in parallel.

That's the atmosphere that Knowledge4Innovation Forum is always creating, it's really to feel like we are a family. During the past one and a half years, you accompanied me, you inspired us to make decisions. And finally, we have the new European Innovation Agenda and you were in the driving seat from the very beginning of this journey. Thank you very much, we count on you to continue with us.

Mariya Gabriel, Former European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

Starting from 2020 the K4I Forum turned its focus towards Innovation for Purpose in support of the Green Deal objectives which ultimately was put at the centre of K4I New. The 2023 European Innovation summit agenda was entirely dedicated to the green and digital transition featuring events on renewable energy, Quantum and a workshop with Green Pioneers, the drivers of the clean economy.

… to Lisbon

Our concern is about the increasing vulnerability of the Earth's ecosystem. Key indicators of climate and environmental health — including rising CO2 emissions, stagnant recycling rates, dwindling natural resources, and the forecasted tripling of oceanic plastic waste — continue to develop in the wrong direction, despite the many initiatives and measures taken so far. To amplify positive climate impact and bridge the climate financing gap, a new global initiative is being launched: Allied4Future (A4F).

In addition to K4I priorities in the areas of policies and technologies, A4F is focusing on sustainable finance and the global dimension of the climate emergency.

Policy, technology and capital, the drivers of previous industrial revolutions are insufficient for mastering the Green Industrial Revolution. A sustainable future relies on the respect of natural resources and Nature. The task is huge, as we not only need to rethink the important relation between nature and economic and human activity for the future, but we also need to repair environmental damage from the past and invest in costly and growing climate adaptation measures.

We want to prepare the future for coming generations. This is what we strive to achieve with Allied4Future. If you want to become an Ally of the Future and engage in A4F activities, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

World Future Forum

26 - 27 September 2024

Taguspark, Lisbon, Portugal

… with a stopover in Dubai

At COP28 in Dubai, Allied4Future engaged in a media partnership with Innovators Magazine organising interviews with peer organisations and A4F partners.

Allied4Future and Innovators Magazine joined forces to provide extensive media coverage of COP28, offering unique insights into the sustainable economy.

In partnership with Allied4Future, Innovators Magazine conducted exclusive interviews with key players such as the Luxembourg Sustainable Finance Initiative and the Regenerative Society Foundation.

The collaboration showcased the vital role these organizations play in shaping a sustainable future, emphasizing the importance of responsible finance and regenerative practices.

This united effort serves as a catalyst for global dialogue and action, inspiring a commitment to sustainable practices on a broader scale.

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