EUROPE DAY
Zabala Innovation Brussels, driving change and connecting Europe
Every year on May 9th, we celebrate Europe Day, a symbolic date commemorating the historic Schuman Declaration of 1950 and the birth of a shared vision for a continent united in peace and cooperation. In 2025, this vision is more relevant than ever, as the European Union confronts global challenges spanning climate, technology, society, and geopolitics, all of which demand agile, coordinated, and sustainable solutions.
“Innovation lies at the heart of Europe’s response. Yet the continent’s innovation journey is anything but linear. One day, the conversation focuses on how Europe risks falling behind; the next day, we see initiatives like Choose Europe, a joint effort to attract innovators and entrepreneurs and position Europe as a global innovation leader. These contrasts reflect the dynamic, often paradoxical nature of Europe’s innovation landscape: ambitious, self-critical, and constantly evolving,” says Alessandro Provaggi, Director of the Brussels office at Zabala Innovation.
At Zabala Innovation, we’re proud to be part of this European ecosystem. Through innovation, we work to offer concrete responses to the complex issues our societies face. Europe does more than regulate; it drives, connects, and innovates. And for nearly 40 years, we have been part of that collective journey.
“In a world shaped by multiple crises and constant change, Europe’s greatest strength is its courage to innovate. At Zabala Innovation, our mission is to encourage and empower those who dare to build the future, because if we don’t shape it, we will be shaped by it,” adds Provaggi.
Our Brussels office is a key part of our work at the European level. Located in the EU quarter, it gives us direct access to European institutions, technology platforms, and stakeholder networks. This proximity helps us monitor policy developments, take part in strategic discussions, and keep our clients aligned with the EU’s innovation priorities.
“Our position in Brussels gives us a clear view of how EU innovation landscape is shaped. Translating that insight into value for the colleagues and clients across Europe is a core part of our work,” explains Provaggi.
To mark Europe Day 2025, the Brussels team organised a Kahoot quiz on EU history, innovation programmes, and Zabala Innovation’s role in them.
Zabala Innovation Brussels team hosting Europe Day 2025Zabala Innovation has successfully supported hundreds of clients in securing European R&D funding, particularly through programmes such as Horizon Europe, the Innovation Fund, and others. Since the start of the current EU framework programme in 2021, we have helped our clients access over €2 billion in European funding. But our role goes well beyond proposal writing. We provide support across the entire lifecycle, from innovation consulting and strategic platform management to project coordination, communication, and exploitation.
We kicked off 2025, a pivotal year marking the start of a new term for both the European Commission and the European Parliament, by co-organising a high-level public hearing at the European Parliament with MEP Lina Gálvez, titled R&I as a Key Factor for Industrial Transformation. The event brought together over 160 policymakers, industry leaders, and innovation experts to exchange views on how to build a more accessible, impactful, and strategically aligned European R&D system. The discussions highlighted the central role of innovation in driving Europe’s industrial competitiveness, sustainability goals, and technological sovereignty.
Since then, the European Commission has unveiled an ambitious roadmap for 2025 and beyond, reflecting evolving priorities across economic resilience, sustainability, and technological leadership. Among the flagship initiatives are the European Competitiveness Compass, the Clean Industrial Deal, and the proposed European Competitiveness Fund, alongside sector-specific action plans for the automotive industry and the RearmEU defence industrial initiative.
These shifts in the political direction will soon be reflected in the EU funding landscape, with new calls, instruments, and thematic priorities expected to emerge in the coming months.
“For organisations seeking to innovate, scale, or contribute to Europe’s industrial and societal transformation, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge: how to prepare themselves effectively in a complex and fast-evolving environment. At Zabala Innovation, we help clients make sense of this complexity,” concludes Provaggi.
Happy Europe Day. Let’s keep innovating, together.
News
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Explore the document in which we share our recommendations and strategic vision for the forthcoming 10th Framework Programme
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