Amplify, don’t duplicate, existing innovation ecosystems“ – one of the key recommendations of the 2017 newly established European Innovation Council chaired by Herman Hauser KBW, a Serial Entrepreneur and Co-founder of Amadeus Capital Partners. While „amplify“ does not sound like the current standard phrase of disruptive innovation, the 2,7 billion Euro budget for a pilot phase 2018-20, announced in November 2017, seems to intend disruptive, at least shaking potential for „breakthrough market-creating innovation“. Great markets, Great investments, Great crossing over traditional sectors?!

Cross-Innovation hands-on at Tech Startup Day in Brussels

Cross-Innovation was the political topic at the European Creative Industries Summit 2017 – and in 2018 ECBN will continue to explore the benefits of cross-innovation for the creative industries, but in practical and hands-on manner: At the ECBN member meeting on March 16 in Brussels with experts from Digital Tech World on the one side and from Culture Heritage World on the other side.

Chance and Challenge

The European Innovation Council is a chance and a challenge. While the first basic document on ecosystems for innovation includes the arts and creative business models and call for holistic and multidisciplinary approaches, the first practical calls of the 2,7 billion Euro pilot leads to the disturbing question whether they might have overheard their own founding principles ? It is up to the stakeholders of the Creative Industries to engage with the European Innovation Council and bring forward constructive propositions in this promising initiative of DG Research and Innovation.

Read the whole newsletter December 2017