ADVANCING DEEP TECH VALUE, ACCELERATION AND NEW COMPETITIVENESS IN EUROPE

Objetivo

"The Irish Presidency Conference for the EIC will take place in December 2026, at a critical juncture for the EU’s Startup and Scaleup Strategy and held during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council. ""ADVANCE"" (Advancing Deep Tech Value, Acceleration and New Competitiveness in Europe) will serve as a launchpad for Europe’s renewed industrial sovereignty. Hosted by University College Dublin (UCD), home to one of Europe’s most successful tech hubs , and supported by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and Enterprise Ireland (EI), the Conference will bridge the gap between global Big Tech experience and emerging Deep Tech excellence. The conference will provide a platform for founders, policymakers, large corporates, investors, universities, innovation agencies, and accelerators to assess Europe’s progress, identify persistent bottlenecks, and debate actionable policy directions. Delegates will examine important developments shaping Europe’s innovation future - from the European Tech Champions Initiative and the rise of university-based venture building to the increasing strategic importance of deep tech solutions for economic security, climate transitions, and technological sovereignty.
NovaUCD, UCD's startup incubation hub, will plan and implement the Conference programme and follow-up activities, coordinating with national and EU stakeholders. The 2026 Conference will evolve themes and concepts from preceding EIC events including ASCEND and the 2026 EIC Summit, to drive policy and strategy forward into the next cycle of EIC and associated European actions."