Experience the convergence of science and business at the MERLIN Innovation Awards 2024 – where innovation takes center stage. Join us at the prestigious MIA 2024 ceremony, where innovative companies will showcase their groundbreaking products and services for freshwater ecosystems powered by the transformative MERLIN Project.
Agenda:
11:30-11:35 Welcome to MIA 2024 by Matt C. Smith
11:35-11:45 Introductory speech by Piret Noukas (European Research Executive Agency)
11:45-13:00 Company presentations part 1 (3 min pitch + 4 min Q&A); Merlin Matketplace by Paul Mahony (Oppla); Company presentations part 2 (3 min pitch + 4 min Q&A)
13:00-13:10 Address from coordinator by Sebastian Birk (MERLIN, University Duisburg-Essen)
13:10-13:20 Winners announcement
13:20-13:30 Wrap up and closing
Speakers
Master of Ceremony - Matt C. Smith: is a former venture capitalist and 2x unicorn investor, turned exited-founder and author of the Startup Buzzword Dictionary. Today, he is known for his energetic, entertaining and educational stage performances as an acclaimed public speaker, startup lecturer and master of ceremonies at many of the largest conferences around the world.
Sebastian Birk: the MERLIN project co-coordinator, is a Senior Scientist and Lecturer at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. Contributing to the water-related science-policy interface at the European level, his academic interests cover: multiple stressors, environmental condition/ human impact assessment, ecosystem services, restoration ecology, environmental policy assessment and implementation.
Piret Noukas: is a Project Adviser in the European Research Executive Agency (REA) monitoring a portfolio of EU-funded research and innovation projects in the field of nature-based solutions, biodiversity and climate adaptation, supporting the dissemination of their results, including feeding the R&I results in EU policy-making and organisation of evaluations of project proposals in these fields.
Paul Mahoney: is a communications specialist with over 20 years’ experience in the environmental and tourism sectors. He is general manager of Oppla, the EU Repository of Nature-based Solutions (the Netherlands) and creative director of Countryscape (UK & Estonia), a media agency supporting science, business and civil society.