Conference “Closing the innovation gap: The challenge of Slovenia’s and Europe’s competitiveness”

05. 12. 2024Špela Bovha

On Wednesday, 27 November 2024, we organised the conference “Closing the Innovation Gap: A Challenge for the Competitiveness of Slovenia and Europe” for the Representation Office of the European Commission in Slovenia and the European Investment Bank (EIB). Held at the European Union House in Ljubljana, the event brought together key players in innovation, finance, and development.

Main topics and speakers

The conference explored key European Commission policies and instruments for promoting competitiveness and innovation, alongside EIB Group financial products that support business growth and the commercialisation of innovation. The event featured two main panels:

Financial support for innovation and competitiveness – Representatives from the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund presented how their products foster innovation and strengthen competitiveness.
What Slovenia has, what can it offer and what does it need to be more competitive? – Slovenian investors, innovators, and researchers discussed opportunities to accelerate innovation in Slovenia.

Speakers included Dr. Jerneja Jug Jerše (EC), Dr. Simon Savšek (EIB), Gregor Rebolj (Silicon Gardens Fund), Nina Dremelj (Vesna Capital), Associate Professor Sandra Damjan (Faculty of Economics in Ljubljana), Simon Šimonka (SID banka), among others. The programme was moderated by Tina Drolc, EIB Media Officer.

The event concluded with an informal gathering and banquet, providing participants the opportunity to continue discussions and network with key players in innovation and competitiveness.

The conference offered valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities for enhancing Slovenia’s and Europe’s innovation capacity. We were proud to contribute to an event that brought together so many important stakeholders and laid the groundwork for new initiatives and collaborations.

Organisation and delivery of the event

MA Marketing managed the key aspects of the event organisation:

Event planning and coordination support: We provided comprehensive support from initial planning to final execution, coordinating all preparations and ensuring the event ran seamlessly on the day.
Technical equipment and support: On-site, we set up the stage, tested all equipment to ensure the smooth running of the event. We managed basic lighting, sound, filming, and photography. We also integrated simultaneous interpretation, allowing participants to follow the event in Slovenian or English.
Filming and directing: The event was filmed using two cameras, delivering high-quality footage suitable for broadcasting to a wider audience.

Graphic and promotional materials: We designed the event’s core graphics, including opening and closing visuals and the content displayed on the two main screens during the sessions.

This event marked another step forward in supporting innovation and competitiveness, highlighting how Slovenia and Europe are working together to drive progress.

Photo by Domen Dajčman

Event video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4RxtilFVzI