EUREKA NETWORK MEETINGS & EUREKA GLOBAL INNOVATION SUMMIT 

Written By Mollie Maynard-Skelton

Innovate UK

The challenge

Innovate UK were leading the UK Chairmanship of the EUREKA Network - the world’s largest public network for international cooperation in R&D and innovation.

The challenge was to deliver a series of high-impact events that would:

  • Enable participants to share knowledge, network, collaborate and secure future business opportunities

  • Showcase the UK’s national and regional innovation capabilities

  • Bring together international policymakers, innovation agencies, academia and scaling businesses

  • Create a consistent brand and communications approach across a complex global programme

We conceptualised and delivered a fully integrated communications and events programme spanning 18 months, culminating in the EUREKA Global Innovation Summit.

Brand & Strategy

  • Created a unified UK EUREKA brand to ensure consistency across all communications and experiences

  • Conducted stakeholder consultation to understand audience needs and inform programme design

  • Embedded UK Government Grand Challenge themes across locations, speakers and content

  • Collaborated with key partners including BEIS, European Commission, EUREKA Secretariat, Enterprise Europe Network and the Catapult Network

Programme & Experience

  • Designed and delivered a series of events including a London launch, three international networking events and the Global Innovation Summit

  • Managed full event lifecycle including planning, budgeting, procurement and production

  • Delivered multi-format programmes featuring keynotes, workshops, discussions and structured networking

  • Created bespoke environments, including the transformation of a Manchester live music warehouse into a large-scale, immersive event space with multiple stages and collaboration zones

  • Delivered seamless registration, digital networking and matchmaking through a centralised platform

  • Managed all delegate, speaker and VIP experiences including travel, accommodation and curated cultural programmes

  • Designed highly interactive formats including live polling, audience Q&A and facilitated networking

  • Delivered full communications, content and advocacy toolkits to maximise engagement and amplification

The impact

  • Delivered the best-attended Chairmanship in EUREKA’s 30-year history

  • Hosted a fully subscribed programme of events across the UK

  • Delivered a flagship Global Innovation Summit with 1,800+ delegates from 64 countries, 170+ speakers and 1,500+ networking meetings

  • Showcased the UK’s national and regional innovation capabilities on a global stage

  • Increased awareness of the EUREKA Network across government, R&I stakeholders and businesses

  • Enabled new international collaborations, partnerships and funding opportunities

  • Secured a strong legacy, including 50+ countries signing the Global Leaders of Innovation Funders pledge

  • Expanded the network with increased participation from new partner countries

  • Strengthened global connectivity and accelerated business-led innovation

Mollie Maynard-Skelton
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