EBN 35 Anniversary

EBN celebrates 35 years of innovation and incubation

It was the perfect birthday!

Thank you to everybody who was there to celebrate with us this beautiful milestone.

This has been the occasion to gather with members but friends at the same time, former Presidents and CEO and European officials, and retrace together all EBN achievements.

The one introducing the evening was our CEO, Javier Echarri, who welcomed everybody and thanked the participants coming in some cases from far to join us in our offices.

After that, he gave the word the Mikel Landabaso, currently Director of the Directorate-general for communication, but who was during 24 years at DG REGIO and followed EBN from the beginning. Mikel is a stronger believer of the BIC concept and he encouraged EBN and the other colleagues of the European Commission present at the event to keep on collaborating together.

He talked about the impulse of the Directorate-general for regional and urban policy of the European Commission in these last 20 years. Moreover, he highlighted the impact of the EU|BIC concept in the support to the EC strategies on regional economic development over the last 35 years.

The celebration continued with the intervention of the Head of Unit of The Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, Smart & Sustainable Growth, Mr. Peter Berkowitz. He explained the perspective of his Directorate-general regarding innovation support structures.

Finally, Birgit Weidel, Head of Unit of the European Commission DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SME, in charge of COSME Programme, Entrepreneurship, SME Envoys and Relations with EASME, opened the door for a continuous and fruitful collaboration with EBN. When listen to the EC perspective, vision and strategic topics coming up in relation to the support of innovation and startups, with a reference at transition to sustainability.

The anniversary was closed by our current President, David Uhlir, Chief Strategic Officer at JIC (EU|BIC). He remembered the vision and the mission of EBN, the same from 35 years and also for next future. David has been in the network since the 90’s and he believes EBN is a network of members supporting to each other. He highlighted his ambition of supporting EBN Members on internationalising entrepreneurs.

Inevitable is the awareness of all challenges ahead. The main objective is ensuring a high level of quality support provided by the EU|BICs, together with promoting best practice and mutual learning. EBN keep searching for bringing new entrants and new professionals into the EU|BIC certification standards.

David Uhlir finished with a big thanks to contributors, partners, and everybody who attended.  

What better way to conclude than with the favourite activity of our followers: the networking space we provided, produced new connections between our guests.

In the occasion of the anniversary EBN has produced the “35 years of Innovation in Europe” the story and the look forward to the future of EBN and its members, furthermore, during the event the guests attending were invited to leave some words in the Golden Guest Book, that is available for visitors coming to EBN premises, do not forget to participate when you come to Brussels.

Did you miss the event, but want to have a flavour of that special evening?

Have a look at our gallery.