The Irish presidency conference Open Innovation 2.0 – Sustainable Economy & Society in Dublin welcomed over 75 international experts who addressed more than 350 delegates from around the world, highlighting how economic growth and job creation can be generated by modern innovation and technology. The major two day international conference closed in Dublin Castle with overwhelming agreement on the drafting of “The Dublin Innovation Declaration”. This ten point declaration, drafted with the intention of harnessing innovation and technology to bring about job creation, will be presented to José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.

Presenting the declaration to the conference, Prof Martin Curley, Chairman OISPG & Vice President, Intel Labs Europe, Intel Corporation called on those present to support the ideals and mission of the declaration. “With the support of the delegates and speakers here, at the end of what has been an enlightening and very positive two days of discussion, we have co-created an innovation manifesto which can now bring real change to Europe by creating more wealth, better welfare and improved wellbeing."

Mr Bror Salmelin, Advisor, Innovation Systems from the European Commission highlighted the new era for creating European innovation ecosystems for sustainable wealth and growth. ''This conference was a convergence point for a journey together, building upon past work and creating a path for future. Open innovation is all about making things happen. Open innovation 2.0 is about creating a European Innovation Ecosystem for jobs and growth", said Salmelin. In his opinion this all calls for action, for courage to try and experiment on topics, innovation processes and environments. "I am glad that our new Horizon 2020 enables and encourages this new approach, and of course a more holistic set of actions are needed. The Dublin Innovation Declaration is an excellent basis to go forward for the new www, expressed well by Venkat Ramaswamy: Wealth, welfare and well-being", claimed Salmelin.

“This conference, and The Dublin Innovation Declaration, has drawn attention to one of the most crucial elements of economic recovery – how to harness innovation and technology to bring about job creation. The key to job growth in this economy lies in innovation and we welcome the development of this significant declaration in Dublin, positioning the city and the country to take the lead on embracing innovation,” commented Peter Finnegan, Director of Office of International Relations and Economy, Dublin City Council.

“The Dublin Innovation Declaration” will seek to position Open Innovation 2.0 as the next new official innovation approach of the European Union, highlighting the importance of adopting and embracing innovation and technology to stimulate economic growth and generate job creation in Ireland and across the EU. Key points in the declaration presented to delegates included: common understanding and literacy for modern innovation systems and the various characteristics in it making it work also in practise, a call to move from European Research Area to European Innovation Ecosystem; raising awareness of the importance of creating incentives to encourage openness to innovation and experimentation; recognising honourable failure as a positive; stimulate high expectation entrepreneurs; foster the essential collaboration between citizens, businesses, universities and government; and an overall call to create an EU Innovation Strategy based on our strong assets, including the citizens in the quadruple helix innovation model. This requires leadership and courage, and the Innovation Luminary Awards would become an annual event within the European Calendar to recognise thought and action leadership in innovation.

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The Open Innovation 2.0 Conference was organised under the patronage of the Irish Presidency of the European Union 2013 by the OISPG Group, the European Commission, Intel Labs Europe Dublin City Council, and Trinity College Dublin. The Conference delegates and speakers were addressed in video greetings by the President José Manuel Barroso and Vice President Neelie Kroes and Commissioners Androulla Vassilou and Máire Geoghegan-Quinn. 'I would like to congratulate the EU Open Innovation Strategy and Policy Group, together with the Irish Presidency, for organising this "Open Innovation two point zero" conference. […] The Horizon 2020 funding programme will represent a major step forward by bringing together, in one single programme, all research and innovation actions, right through to commercialisation […] By working together, Open Innovation can unleash Europe's creativity and providing new, user-driven products and services', said President Barroso.

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