Opening and Panel Discussion: Venturing in a storm: Can entrepreneurship and innovation kick-start the European economy?

Alexander von Gabain, Chairman, EIT Governing Board
Alfons Sauquet, Dean, ESADE Business School
Maria da Graça Carvalho, Member of the European Parliament
Anne Glover, Chief Scientific Adviser, Cabinet of President Barroso
Moderator: Richard L. Hudson, CEO & Editor, Science|Business

Meet the ACES Finalists (ACES finalists' elevator pitches)
Alan Begg, Senior VP Technology and Development, SKF, and John Wood, Chair, ERAB, co-chair this session. Duane Schulthess, Science|Business, has a gong. We start with 3 sets of 3 elevator pitches for Life Sciences, Microsoft and Materials prizes, then end with a panel of the 3 Young Entrepreneurs in discussion with Alan Begg and John Wood.

Alan Begg, Senior VP Technology and Development, SKF
John Wood, Chair, European Research Area Board; Secretary-General, Association of Commonwealth Universities
Duane Schulthess, Commercial Director, Science|Business

Think Biz - The EIT's contribution to a more entrepreneurial Europe
followed by Q&A

José Manuel Leceta, Director, EIT
Alexander von Gabain, Chairman, EIT Governing Board

Meet the EIT Finalists (EIT finalists do elevator pitches)
Each of the 9 finalists has a 3 minute elevator pitch, but unlike the ACES, after each set of 3 the panellists have a 10-minute Q&A with them as a group - talking about their ambitions, problems, etc.

Chaired by: Daria Golebiowska -Tataj, Member, EIT Governing Board and Executive Committee
Challenger: Kristo Ovaska, Founder, Startup Sauna

Breakout sessions (there are subject to change)

1. Successful Entrepreneurs - Seemingly effortless? Tips for the would-be venturer

Kristo Ovaska, Founder, Startup Sauna
Ruud de Jonge, Director Technical Audience Evangelism & Startups, Microsoft Europe
Diego Pavía, CEO, KIC InnoEnergy
Chaired by Duane Schultess, Commercial Director, Science|Business

2. It's a small world: Making EU initiatives SME-friendly

Willem Jonker, CEO EIT ICT Labs (tbc)
Jacques Darcy, Head of Division Technology Transfer, European Investment Fund
Rouget F. Henschel, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP (tbc)
Chaired by Richard Bergström, Director General, EFPIA

3. Spinning out - Tech Transfer strategies

Karen Maex, vice-rector KU Leuven
Mary Ritter, CEO, Climate-KIC
Gandert Van Raemdonck, Chief Technical Officer, Ephicas
Chaired by Peter Koekoek, Online Producer, Science|Business

Financing entrepreneurship
It's tough to finance innovation in Europe. Can we fix that? Featuring a study of how VCs and Corporate VCs in Europe work, by Prof. Bart Clarysse, Imperial College London, on behalf of the Science|Business Innovation Board

Bart Clarysse, Imperial College London
Brigitte Baumann, Founder and CEO, Go Beyond, President of the Board, EBAN (TBC)
Bill Magill, Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise,(INSEAD)
Chaired by Robert Sorrell, VP Public Partnerships, BP

The to-do list: How to encourage more innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe?

Anders Flodström, Vice Chairman, EIT Governing Board
Ludo Lauwers, SVP Research, Janssen Pharmaceutica
Xavier Prats Monné, Deputy Director General, DG EAC, European Commission
Edward Astle, Pro Rector Enterprise, Imperial College London
Chaired by Pat Cox, President, European Movement

ACES and EIT Awards Ceremony (one after the other)

Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth
Master of Ceremonies: Pat Cox, President, European Movement

Gala Dinner*

Welcome by Benoît Cerexhe, Minister, Brussels Region