Focus on the twin transition

More than 560 participants and over 80 speakers dedicated themselves to exploring in depth the twin green and digital transition through a combination of three plenary sessions, 16 parallel sessions and booths from nine exhibitors as well as eleven project-related exhibition villages from 27 to 29 June in Grenoble, France. The event brought together industry and innovation leaders, scientists, researchers and public decision-makers just before the conclusion of the French EU Council Presidency 30 June 2022.

Together with Claire Giry, General Director of the French Ministry of Research and Education, Eric Piolle, Mayor of Grenoble city, Elvira Fortunato, Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Joanna Drake, Deputy Director-General in charge of Implementation, Impact & Sustainable Investment Strategies – Directorate-General Research and Innovation (RTD), and Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth who was present via audio message, Klaus Beetz, CEO of EIT Manufacturing opened the conference and welcomed attendees and speakers.

Also presenting EIT Manufacturing in a few sentences, he highlighted the need to move away from the triangle of quality, cost and time to integrating sustainability into the picture.

Village visits
The villages of IndTech2022 offered a community the opportunity to collectively set up their exhibition space together with a common visual identity. Klaus Beetz had the chance to visit and interview leaders of two of the villages, OITB and POLYMERIS.

Two inspiring stories

From driving to flying – in three minutes

Juraj Vaculík Founding CEO and Board Member at AeroMobil envisaged that the future of the automobile sector is the “flying car”. Inspired by the mythical winged horse Pegasus, the AeroMobil is a culmination of leading-edge automotive and aerospace design and engineering, advanced materials, luxury features, and impeccable styling – the AeroMobil does what no supercar or private jet can do.

Technology and innovation are the future of the planet

Mike Horn, explorer and founder of INOCEL, took the audience on an extraordinary journey through his last 20 years of expedition life, pushed them to believe in themselves and encouraged them never to stop exploring their passions. After seeing our planet changing so rapidly, he decided to create an innovative company that offers end-to-end hydrogen energy chain solutions with innovative low-temperature fuel cells.

Horizon Europe 2023-2024: This will be next

Joanna Drake, addressed the main priorities for the next European innovation agenda that will be published in early July 2022. Some highlights:

• A new approach of Hubs for Circularity
• A “Safe and Sustainable by Design”-framework
• The integration of a human-centric dimension with Industry 5.0 in the Horizon Europe work programme 2023-2024
• Accelerating green and digital transition

Sylvie Retailleau, the French Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation gave a quick look back at last six months during the French presidency of the Council of the European Union and handed over to Czech Republic for a new six month’s European innovation agenda.

The positive and inspiring atmosphere of the conference made it a successful conclusion of the French Presidency’s official programme in the field of research. It showcased impressively how the technological sectors and the manufacturing industry are mobilised to serve the green and digital transition.