Hannover, 19 April 2010

The intergovernmental R&D network EUREKA has stepped up its presence at the annual Hannover Messe in Germany this April with a significant number of speakers from EUREKA’s high-tech, industry-led Clusters participating in sessions organised by Deutsche Messe AG.

Other highlights include a EUREKA stand showcasing examples of the many successful innovative technologies developed through the international collaborative endeavours of EUREKA project participants. Matchmaking activities organised by EUREKA and involving a number of technical experts are also planned, enabling visitors to understand the real benefits of starting or getting involved in a trans-frontier collaborative project.

‘We really needed to raise the visibility of EUREKA and the amazing achievements of the businesses and other organisations that have been participating in our R&D projects across Europe for 25 years,’ said Luuk Borg, Head of EUREKA’s Brussels-based Secretariat. ‘The Hannover Messe represents a really good mix for us—focussing on high technologies, the right visitor profile and of course its reputation as the biggest fair of its kind in the world.’

‘EUREKA’s annual Chairmanship is currently held by Germany, which makes our decision to attend the Hannover Messe particularly auspicious. We were delighted to learn that the Federal Minister for Research Annette Schavan will be visiting our stand as a part of her tour of the Messe,’ Borg added.

Israel will host the EUREKA Chairmanship from July 2010 and will also be present at the Messe, with a speaker, Michel Hivert director of MATIMOP, the Israeli Industry Centre for R&D.

The three projects shortlisted for the 2010 EUREKA Innovation Award will also be present at the EUREKA stand; the winner of the award will be announced prior to the EUREKA Ministerial conference in Berlin, in June 2010.

Journalists are invited to attend the EUREKA Press Conference at 12.30 on Monday 19 April 2010 in Room 105/106 of the Convention Centre. Speaking there will be Member of the European Parliament Godlieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl; Wolfgang Axmann, Chairman of the EUREKA NPC Group; Rudolf Haggenmüller, Chairman of the EUREKA ITEA2 Cluster and Luuk Borg, director of the EUREKA Secretariat.