Canada-Europe Business Opportunities for N-Gen Members

Opening Remarks

• Event focused on business opportunities in Canada and Europe for N-Gen members.
• Full agenda includes remarks from key speakers, country-specific presentations, and a Q&A session.
• Participants encouraged to use the Q&A box for questions.

Speaker Highlights

Jason Myers (CEO, NextGen)

• Emphasis on promoting Canadian capabilities and identifying global innovation partnerships and business opportunities.
• Importance of advanced manufacturing in recovering from the pandemic.

Rob Sinclair (Deputy Head of Canada's Mission to the EU)

• Canada and Europe share a history of rich collaboration and value alignment.
• Europe's future focus areas include decarbonizing the economy, automation, AI, health, and green technologies.
• Opportunities for Canadian companies through the CETA agreement.

Frederick Fournier (Research and Innovation Expert)

• Introduction of Horizon Europe, a new funding program with a budget of €95.5 billion aimed at international cooperation and innovative partnerships.
• Benefits of partnering with European clusters via the ECCP platform.

Wolfgang Vitke (Eureka Representative)

• Explanation of Eureka, a global network for funding bodies from 45 countries, including Canada.
• Overview of Eureka's main funding programs: Cluster Projects, Network Projects, Eurostars, and Global Stars.
• Importance of SMEs in participating and benefiting from these programs.

Melanie Collins (National Research Council of Canada)

• NRC's focus on growing SMEs and supporting international co-innovation projects through platforms like Eureka.
• Emphasis on collaboration with key countries like Germany, the UK, France, and Spain.

Key Market Presentations

Austria (Stefan Champano)

• Strong in industrial machinery and niche areas of advanced manufacturing.
• Key sectors: automotive, hydrogen, wood construction, and green building.

Belgium (Michelle Garland)

• Centrally located and highly export-dependent economy with strengths in chemicals, vehicles, and machinery.
• Emphasis on smart manufacturing and the “Factory of the Future” program.

Germany (Thorsten Henke & Jasmine Hankook)

• Leading European powerhouse in manufacturing, especially in AI and Industry 4.0 initiatives.
• Germany's R&D spending is 3% of GDP, with strong integration between applied research institutes and technical universities.

Netherlands (Semina Olbrecht)

• Innovative country with a strategic location and a robust focus on smart industry (Industry 4.0).
• Strong in semiconductors, smart mobility, composites, and medical manufacturing.
• Emphasis on collaborative clusters like Brainport Eindhoven and various field labs.

Nordics (Michael Wilmot)

• Region includes Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland, all strong in innovation and sustainability.
• Active in EU and multilateral programs such as Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, and Eureka.
• Key clusters: automotive, decarbonization, defense, forestry, and biotech.

Trade Commissioner Service (Sue Roth)

• Overview of the services provided by the Trade Commissioner Service, including strategy assistance and market potential assessment.
• Emphasis on leveraging regional offices in Canada for international market preparation.
• Encouragement to connect with Greg Rust, the liaison for engine-related connections and support.

Closing Remarks

• Presentations and slide decks will be available on the engine website under the event archives section.
• Replay of the webinar will be accessible, and contacts for further questions were provided.
• Final note on the importance of resilience and adaptation in the wake of the pandemic, with a focus on maximizing collaboration and innovation.

Q&A Session Insights

• Discussion on the impact of the pandemic on advanced manufacturing investment and recovery.
• Insights from various countries on resilience and adaptability measures, such as Belgium's pharmaceutical industry and Germany's virtual trade fairs.

General Conclusion

• Thanks to all participants and speakers.
• Encouragement to leverage the network and opportunities for global partnerships.