Peter Dröll has been working in the European Commission for more than 20 years with positions in environment, enlargement negotiations, industry policy, innovation and research. He was a Cabinet member of Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen and Head of Cabinet of the Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik.

Since 2010 he is at Directorate-General Research and Innovation where he was first responsible for Innovation then for Industrial Technologies. Following the re-orientation of DG Research and Innovation towards sustainability, his competences have been enlarged to include industrial R&I agendas and business intelligence as well as knowledge valorisation policies.

Before joining the European Commission in 1991, Peter worked as a lawyer in a German law firm. Peter is a lawyer by training with a doctorate degree in German constitutional law and European law.

Head of Corrosion and Protective Coatings Center, Łukasiewicz Research Network - Warsaw Institute of Technology

A professor of engineering and technical sciences with experience in energy sources, photovoltaic modulus, materials, coatings, diffusion process and modelling.

He authored and co-authored over 70 publications in JCR list, lead many international projects for the industry and national research projects. He is a laureate of many prestigious awards like scholarship for outstanding young scientists funded by the Minister of Science and Higher Education. He is also a laureate of more than 10 awards for scientific achievements.

His main scientific interests are the problems of mass transport in solids. He is the creator of new theories describing inter and reaction diffusion process. He proposed models describing the Kirkendall and Frenkel effects. His research focus on the development of new technologies for renewable energy sources and efficient energy storage systems.

Dr Zygmunt Krasiński, a graduate and long-term employee of the Faculty of Electronics at the Warsaw University of Technology, Japanese government scholarship holder (1992-94, Nihon University, Tokyo). 

President of the Polish Chamber of Commerce for High Technology. 

Head of the Center for Research Programmes of the EU at the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPPT PAN). As the Director of the National Contact Point for the Horizon 2020 Program at the IPPT PAN (2014-2020), he was actively involved in integrating the R&I sector for increasing Poland’s participation in Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. 

He has many years of experience as an expert in several European Commission working groups as well as other international bodies and representing the position of Poland. He was responsible for managing the portfolio of over 140 projects implemented under the EU Framework Programs. He is an advisor, author of many publications and a trainer in the field of R&D management. 

Co-founder of the National Council of Research Project Coordinators and a member of the Certification Committee of IPMA Poland. A long-time member of the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators. 

Award-winning specialist in the field of optical fiber optoelectronics. For many years associated with the banking sector. The main area of ​​activity of Dr. Zygmunt Krasiński is the development of breakthrough technologies and international cooperation in the field of research and innovation.

Since 2011 employed in KGHM Cuprum Ltd. Research & Development Centre and strongly connected to Polish copper mining industry, mainly KGHM Polska Miedź and its resource base development. 

Researcher and team member in research and development projects financed from internal and EU funds, among others from the Horizon 2020, the 7th Framework Program and EIT RawMaterials.

Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas (IETU)

Since 1994 she has been affiliated to the Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas (IETU) in Katowice, Poland. She is Head IETU’s Office of Projects Coordination, Marketing and Research Commercialization implementing international projects and establishing and maintaining IETU’s business and research contact. 

Since 2016 she also holds a manager position of an accredited inspection body established at IETU to perform third party performance verifications of innovative environmental technologies under the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) scheme. She has been involved in the development and implementation of ETV in the European Union, Poland and its global standardization in the framework of ISO TC207/SC4. Thanks to her extensive experience and knowledge of the ETV scheme, she participated in numerous European projects, national and international workshops and conferences on ETV as well as delivered trainings on the scheme to different audiences: from policy makers to technology providers, buyers and start-ups. Currently, she is coordinating a LIFE project: LIFEproETV which is dedicated to building market acceptance and recognition of the ETV scheme.

Vice-President of the Polish Chamber of Commerce for High Technologies and Head of RMA in the Centre for Research Programmes of the EU in the IPPT PAN.

Between 2016-2020 Deputy Director at the National Contact Point for EU Research Programs. She started her career in 2008 in the NCP Poland acting as SME/ EIC and Widening NPC. She was an expert for Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe Program Committees at the European Commission acting as well as National Delegate.

 Specialist in areas related to innovation, cooperation between science and business, management of international research and innovation projects and international cooperation. She has extensive professional experience in the application and implementation of innovation projects for national, European and international programs. She has managed over 40 projects from EU Framework Programmes and was the Coordinator of the NCP_WIDE.NET Project funded under Horizon 2020 and NCP_WIDERA.NET under Horizon Europe. 

Currently, she manages the Innovation Coach project. She has been participating in committees and advisory bodies on structural and European funds issues, and is a member of, among others: Advisory Board of the ERA-LEARN project. One of her greatest professional success is the contribution to the successful application of four Polish Teaming 4 Excellence Projects (120M Euros in total). Between 2014-2020 President of the TOP 500 Innovators Association. Graduate of the Top 500 Innovators Program at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, USA.

Expert/Evaluator in H2020, calls for EASME, REA, SESAR JU, NAWA, FUNDINGBOX.

Areas: Security, U-Space

Business Development Manager at PIAP Space, the only 100% state-owned company in the space sector in Poland. Anna has worked at research institutes and private companies in the Aerospace and Defense & Security sectors since 2004. She has participated and coordinated Work Packages in collaborative projects, cooperating with key partners, as well as EU and NATO agencies. She has participated in research projects since the 7th EU Framework Program. Since 2015, she has also been an evaluator of project proposals to EC framework programs for REA, EISMEA and SESAR JU. She conducts trainings and workshops on how to successfully apply to HEU competitions. Anna is also an Innovation Coach at the Innovation Coach Program organized by IPPT PAN.

She is an alumni of the TOP 500 INNOVATORS Program (Science-Management-Commercialization Program, UC Berkeley, 2013).

Key competencies: innovation management, commercialization of scientific research, project and risk management, business development of R&D units, science-business cooperation.

Mr. Marcin Olszewski works for The Enterprise Europe Network. The Network provides support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises with international ambitions. It is co-funded by the European Union's COSME and Horizon 2020 programmes. The EEN’s aim is to help businesses innovate and grow internationally. The Network is active in more than 60 countries worldwide.

Mr. Olszewski EEN has been working for The Enterprise Europe Network since the very beginning of its existence, that is 2008. During that time he is responsible for the hole spectrum of network services such as: visits, consultations, and meetings with companies, as well as making enquiries, inserting company’s profiles, and activities concerned with contacts with EEN centres from other countries.

Additionally the large part of his responsibilities are the following: organizing b2b meetings, company missions, and various forms of lectures, webinars, conferences that deals with helping Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to become visible internationally.

Michele's career has been defined by his unwavering commitment to driving innovation and operational excellence in the European industrial sector. He spent a significant period living in Poland, initially in Wroclaw while working as a Scientist at Selena Group and later in Łódż, during his tenure as an R&D Director at K-Flex Polska sp. z o.o.

Throughout his career, Michele's passion for advancing European projects and dedication to quality control have been unwavering.

Notably, he has played a pivotal role in winning two significant European projects, Biomotive and Frontsh1p. His expertise in research and development extends to the development of innovative building construction materials, with specific attention to surfactant activity, rheology properties of polyurethane prepolymers, and advancements in rubber development.

As the COO at Artigo S.p.A., he continues to bring this wealth of experience and commitment to the forefront, guiding the company towards its strategic objectives and fostering operational excellence.