The future of manufacturing in Europe starts now!

EIT Manufacturing has been officially inaugurated at its Headquarters in Paris Saclay.

The EU’s manufacturing sector employs close to 30 million people in 2.1 million enterprises and accounts for almost 20% of the total GDP. The sector is under considerable strain with rapid technological advancements and the need for a more circular economy. To tackle this, EIT Manufacturing will provide excellent manufacturing skills and talents, work towards the full digitalisation of manufacturing and foster sustainable manufacturing. EIT Manufacturing is Europe’s largest manufacturing innovation network and is developing new opportunities for innovators. By 2030, it is set to empower over 1,000 ventures across Europe and create new job opportunities.

The inauguration brought together leadings innovators and organisation from the added value manufacturing sector in Europe including Siemens, Whirlpool, Volvo, Festo and Magna. High-level speakers included Agnès Paillard (Member of the EIT Governing Board), Gintaras Vilda (Vice-Minister of Economy and Innovation of Lithuania), Isabelle Perdereau (Regional Minister and President of the Commission for Economic Development and Innovation of the Paris Region) and Heinrich Flegel (Chairman of EIT Manufacturing Supervisory Board).

This milestone event marks a year since the partnership was selected by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the set-up of operations and of its education, innovation and business accelerations activities. In addition to its Headquarters in Paris, EIT Manufacturing operates across Europe through Innovation Hubs located in Darmstadt, Gothenburg, Milan, San Sebastian and Vienna. EIT Manufacturing will also deploy a strong portfolio of activities within the context of EIT Regional Innovation Scheme, already in 2020.

Having been designated by the EIT at the end of 2018, EIT Manufacturing’s inauguration is a key milestone, marking the beginning of its activities in 2020.

EIT Manufacturing will strengthen Europe’s global role by developing solutions to crucial challenges and focusing on sustainable manufacturing. Working with leading business, education and research organisations, EIT Manufacturing will make innovation happen and deliver new sustainable manufacturing products and services for Europe and its citizens.

Agnès Paillard, Member of the EIT Governing Board

Manufacturing in European countries is under considerable pressure, which includes SMEs. To meet the challenges of global competition, Paris Region supports the digital transformation by its “Smart Industrie” and “AI Plan 2021” initiatives, which aim to propel the enterprises towards the Factory of the future and prepare them to the needs of tomorrow. Thanks to EIT Manufacturing, Paris Region’s SMEs will benefit from new opportunities for innovation and access to European market.

Isabelle Perderau, Regional Minister and President of the Commission for Economic Development and Innovation of the Paris Region

To deliver on its goals by 2026, EIT Manufacturing will:

• Educate, train and re-skill 50,000 people
• Train 1,500 people for entrepreneurial leadership in manufacturing companies
• Create and power 1,000 start-ups
• Support 80 green start-ups Deliver 20% growth rate for companies participating in the Business Creation programme
• Launch 350 new products and manufacturing-related services on the market

Our goal is to bring the manufacturing actors in Europe together in innovation ecosystems, by joining innovation, entrepreneurship and business transformation in innovation hubs. All of this while supporting the transformation of manufacturing into the digital economy as well as the circular economy. These are the challenges of today’s world. Making Europe a role model for sustainable manufacturing in the world.

Klaus Beetz, CEO, EIT Manufacturing

The official event took place in CEA’s Paris-Saclay Centre, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission.

Being an important research and innovation centre at national and European level, CEA is proud to belong to the partnership that will lead manufacturing innovation in Europe. CEA is part of the University Paris-Saclay community of universities and institutions, which represents about 15% of French research and we believe that we can play a relevant role on this.

Stéphane Siebert, Director of Technological Research of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission at CEA