Media Partnership: Meta EU Innovation Day 2025
04-02-2025
As Europe grapples with economic pressures and intensifies its efforts to bolster global competitiveness, innovation and support for businesses have never been more critical. Open source AI has the opportunity to unlock growth and drive innovation by democratising access to AI models, but in order to unlock this potential the right regulatory conditions need to be in place.
On February 4, Meta’s EU Innovation Day 2025 will bring together policymakers, tech leaders, and businesses for a series of panel discussions and product demos. It will also feature a fireside chat with Joel Kaplan, Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, on how to drive Europe’s competitiveness and economic growth through open innovation and transatlantic cooperation.
Hosted in Brussels, the EU’s policy capital, the event will highlight European SMEs, startups, and creators building with open source AI, and provide a platform for tech leaders and policymakers to exchange views on shaping Europe’s digital future in 2025 and beyond.
Organised by: Meta
Media Partner: Euractiv
Location
TownHall Europe
Square de Meeûs 5-6, 1000 Brussels
Schedule
08:30 Registration Open
09:00-10:30 Session 1
Welcoming remarks: Meta EU Affairs
Keynote: "Risks and Rewards for Europe: Regulation and Innovation" by Federico Menna, CEO of European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Digital
Panel: How can artificial intelligence fuel innovations in government public service delivery and research in Europe?
This panel will reflect on how open-source AI applications are advancing the European research community and enhancing government and public service delivery.
Speakers:
Hal Voepel, Senior Research Fellow, the University of Southampton
Matteo Cinelli, Assistant Professor, Sapienza University of Rome
Eugenio Valdano, Researcher, French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM)
Umberto Minora, Data Scientist, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
Ayesha Bhatti, Head of Digital Policy, Center for Data Innovation
Moderated by: Diva Tommei, Chief Innovation, Education and Marketing Officer, EIT Digital
10:30-11:00 Refreshment break
11:00-12:30 Session 2
Panel: How can European leaders empower educators and youth to make the most of AI for education?
This panel will explore ways to leverage AI to boost educational outcomes across Europe and discuss how best to equip leaders, educators, and students to thrive in an AI-driven world.
Speakers:
MEP Zala Tomasic, Member of the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT), European Parliament
Lidija Kralj, Senior Analyst, European SchoolNet / leader of AI in Education, European Digital Education Hub
Villano Qiriazi, Head of the Education Department, Council of Europe
Moderated by: Salvatore Moccia, Head of Education and Skills, EIT Digital
Open-Source Lightning Talks: European Showcases across B2B and Culture
These lightning rounds will showcase open-source AI developers' solutions, highlighting the value of openness in AI innovation.
Speakers:
Niklas von Weihe, CTO and Co-Founder, Fully AI Ventures
Umair M.Imam, Founder, Bineric AI
12:30-14:00 Lunch break
14:00-16:30 Session 3
Forum: Innovation and Accessibility
This forum will feature a mix of keynote speeches, TED-style pitches from developers, and a panel discussion, and bring together policymakers, industry, and civil society to explore ways to shape inclusive policies that foster innovation and uphold disability rights.
Speakers:
Agustya Mehta, Director at Reality Labs Hardware, Meta
Alejandro Moledo, Deputy Director, European Disability Forum
Frankie Picron, Executive Director, European Union of the Deaf
Suranga Nanayakkara, Founder, AiSee
Amreen Poonawala, Senior AI Product Manager, Benetech
David Deneher, Co-Founder, Field of Vision
Natasha Gerlach, Director for Privacy and Data Policy, CIPL
16:30-17:00 Refreshment break
17:00-18:00 Fireside chat with Joel Kaplan, Meta's Chief Global Affairs Officer: 'Driving European competitiveness and economic growth through open innovation and transatlantic cooperation'. Moderated by Jack Parrock, journalist, news correspondent and presenter.
Doors will open at 17.00 to allow sufficient time for guests to take their seats.
Guests are then invited to attend a networking and dinner reception from 18.00 - 21:00
Contact
Juliette Burton
juliette.burton@euractiv.com