- The meeting was an opportunity for the U.S. delegation to learn about the Foundation’s activities and meet with interested agents
- Finnova reinforces an alliance developed at the eMerge Startups Conference, which the Foundation attended in April of this year
05/23/2023, Brussels. Finnova Foundation received last Thursday 16th of May in its Brussels offices the Miami-Dade County President Oliver G. Gilbert and his team. This visit arises thanks to the good role of Finnova in the eMerge Startups Conference held in Miami last April, a meeting that served to expand the network of contacts of our organization in the city.
During the first part of the visit, the delegation met with Barbara Dietrich, CEO and president of Diplomatic World. Possible avenues of collaboration were established so that the initiatives that are taking place in the city could be part of one of the editions of the quarterly magazine.
Subsequently, Finnova presented several of the innovation and cooperation projects between the EU and Iberoamérica in which it participates. David Rebollo, EU projects assistant, presented the StartUp Europe Awards, an open innovation tool that seeks to identify and promote talented startups, promoted by the European Commission and implemented by Finnova.
Noemí González, project assistant, presented the 47 challenges in which Finnova participates through its projects. Fernando Sanjurjo, project assistant and business developer, explained the FU-TOURISM project, funded by the SMP with 4 million euros and which, among others, will launch an accelerator aimed at distinguishing and supporting 102 SMEs.
On the Horizon projects in which the Foundation is involved, Adrià Medina, lawyer and project assistant, introduced the problem of the effects of emerging pollutants in the oceans (CECs) and the relevance of the ONE BLUE project. Jon Larratxea, head of communications, presented the RES4CITY project, which promotes renewable energy and sustainable fuel technologies in urban areas, and the RES4CITY Startup Europe Accelerathon, an idea accelerator that seeks innovative solutions for challenges such as decarbonization in cities.
Andrea Tobar, communications assistant, spoke about the Girls4Tech initiative, funded by the Erasmus+ program that seeks to boost young women in STEM careers. Alejandro Gutiérrez de Terán, coordinator of the AgriFood and NextHealth Generation Program, explained European funding opportunities for initiatives related to food and health.
Finally, more focused on the project’s participation in projects in Latin America, Asmae Fatmi, project assistant, spoke about the AL-INVEST Green program, a triangular cooperation program between LATAM and the EU. This program seeks to ensure economic growth and job creation that preserves nature, financed with 363,199.60€ by the European Commission.
The last part of the visit focused on a synergies meeting with stakeholders in Brussels among which were the Delegate of the Government of the Canary Islands in Brussels Cristina Dominguez Beautell and Paul-Alexandre Janssens, lawyer and DPO – GDPR Compliance Manager.
From Finnova we are proud to host this kind of events that demonstrate the hard work of the Foundation in establishing and expanding our networks. Finnova will always be a place for all those entities that are committed to innovation, sustainable development, and the promotion of talent, among other values that the Foundation advocates.
About Finnova Foundation
Finnova is a Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation that works for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at EU level. Headquartered in Brussels, it operates through collaborations and partnerships in all countries of the European Union. Finnova’s experience leading communication and dissemination activities of European projects is combined with a solid proven experience in the creation of companies and business support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and selection and awarding of ceremonial events.