Innovation Driving Economic Growth - Thursday, March 27th, 2025 Online.
Innovation is a key driver of regional economic growth, resilience, and sustainable development. Governments have a unique role in fostering local and regional innovation ecosystems that support entrepreneurship, capacity-building, and knowledge-sharing. To advance this agenda, Areopa and the World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) are hosting a online stakeholder group to discuss Innovation Centres - dynamic hubs designed to connect businesses, policymakers, and development partners in creating impactful solutions with a special purpose fund to support growth, training, innovation and social cohesion.
Speakers:
Gareth Presch – CEO, World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS)
Ludo Pyis – Founder, The Areopa Group
Markku Markkula – Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions CoR, President of the Helsinki Regions.
Leonora Kusari - Regional Coordinator, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Armend Aliu - CEO & Co-founder at SPINP
Agenda
2:00 PM – 2:10 PM | Welcome & Opening Remarks
Markku Markkula: The Role of Regional Innovation in Economic Growth
Gareth Presch: The Urgency of Addressing EU’s Healthcare Challenges
Ludo Pyis: The Vision for Innovation Centres
2:10 PM – 2:40 PM | Panel Discussion: Innovation as Drivers of Sustainable Development
Leonora Kusari - Regional Coordinator, EBRD - Armend Aliu - CEO & Co-founder at SPINP
2:40 PM – 2:50 PM | Strategic Roadmap for Innovation by Areopa & WHIS
Gareth Presch – CEO, World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS), Ludo Pyis – Founder, The Areopa Group
2:50 PM – 3:05 PM | Interactive Discussion & Stakeholder Engagement
Open floor for participants to share insights, propose collaborations, and identify funding opportunities.
3:05 PM – 3:15 PM | Closing Remarks & Next Steps
Benefits of Innovation Centres (Medtech, Biotech etc) in Cities
Improved Community Health:
Economic Growth:
Enhanced Collaboration:
Capacity Building:
Global Recognition:
Preventative Health Focus:
Accessible Services:
These centres would become beacons of positive change, demonstrating how health innovation drives both societal and economic prosperity.
We're working with our strategic partners the Areopa Group to support and deliver innovation centres worldwide.
Gareth Presch, Founder, CEO World Health Innvation Summit
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