© 2025 Eureka Network AISBL.
All rights reserved.
All rights reserved.
This book marks the 40th anniversary of Eureka, an initiative born in a very different Europe and a very different world. Founded in 1985, at a time when technological competition was sharpening and borders still mattered more than they may do today, Eureka set out with a deceptively simple ambition: to help companies collaborate beyond borders to turn ideas into marketable innovation.
That ambition has endured because Eureka itself has never stood still. Its fast, flexible structure – light on bureaucracy and heavy on trust, has allowed it to adapt repeatedly to shifting economic, technological and political realities. While many initiatives of its era have faded or died, Eureka remains relevant precisely because it has been willing to evolve, expanding its reach, updating its instruments and listening closely to the needs of innovators.
Yet this book is more than a celebration of past success. As its title suggests, it is also a statement of intent. The challenges facing the world today – climate change, health crises, economic uncertainty and growing insecurity, demand innovation that is not only faster, but better aligned with societal needs. If Eureka is to remain useful over the next 10, 20 or 40 years, it must continue to ask challenging questions about where it is going and why.
Who better to pose those questions to than Eureka’s current Executive Board members? Charged with steering the network through a period of rapid change, presided over by the Chair country, they offer perspectives shaped by experience but focused firmly on the future. Their reflections do not present a single grand design, nor a national perspective, but a shared conviction: that collaboration, openness and pragmatism will remain essential if innovation is to deliver a healthier, cleaner, stronger and safer world
In looking back, this book affirms what has made Eureka endure. In looking forward, it offers a blueprint for what it could yet become.
As Belgium assumes the Eureka Chair, urgency becomes an invitation to rise together. In a world where technological sovereignty and research security are no longer abstract ambitions but daily imperatives, Eureka must position itself as a trusted space for open and secure collaboration. We call on the entire community of Eureka countries to unite around a shared commitment to renewal: unlocking the innovative strength of our network, safeguarding the integrity of our research and lowering barriers so small- and medium-sized enterprises can translate bold ideas into realworld impact. Together, let us turn this moment into a legacy that will resonate far into the future
Pascale Van Dinter – High-Level Representative, Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO)
The Executive Board members reflections do not present a single grand design, nor a national perspective, but a shared conviction: that collaboration, openness and pragmatism will remain essential if innovation is to deliver a healthier, cleaner, stronger and safer world
From left to right, participants at the Eureka Network AISBL Executive Board meeting in Brussels, 11 February 2026: Andreas Gut (CH), Agnieszka Ratajczak (PL), Julie Jasmes (BE), Melanie Rüther (DE), Marc Pauchard (President), Melanie Cullins (CA) Catherine Frenzel (Risk & Audit Committee Chair), Youngji Tak (KR), Christian Dubarry (FR), Dolf Grasveld (NL), Brit Helle (Director-General)
“For me, the answer lies in driving innovation that strengthens technologies. For example, making our societies more resilient and our people healthier. By working on medical technologies, digital health and pandemic preparedness, I believe we can transform cross‑border collaboration into faster diagnostics, smarter care and stronger health systems. In a world marked by ageing populations and recurring health crises, I see business‑led innovation not simply as a path to growth, but as a vital contributor to the resilience of our everyday lives.“
“I firmly believe that the value creation of the future has to embed the principle of circularity into products, supply chains, and business strategies – to make it more sustainable, digital and resilient. Innovations with a wide impact require cross-border cooperation in research and technology. With its international reach, the Eureka network has proven to be the ideal platform to spur scalable solutions. Just recently, our multilateral funding initiative on circular value creation united 17 countries from Europe, North and South America and Asia.”
“I envisage an economy that is both innovative and interconnected internationally. Strengthening small and medium enterprises in their value-chain, shortening the time to market and supporting cross‑border scale‑up efforts remain central to my perspective. For me, the mission of Eureka network countries is about tangible impact. I see our role as accelerating transformation of investments in collaborative research into competitive products and services leading to progress, jobs, exports and resilient value chains. In an unpredictable global economy, I consider innovation cooperation as our most reliable long‑term asset.”
“I believe we must build a safer society through innovation rather than fear. Whether it is cyber resilience, critical infrastructure, or crisis response, I see collaborative technologies as tools that can strengthen security while preserving openness. Eureka’s role, from my perspective, is to foster trusted partnerships that deliver practical, effective solutions – protecting citizens, businesses and systems in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.”
“To me, it means striving for technological leadership without isolation. Digitalisation, AI and advanced technologies must evolve through trusted international cooperation, not dependency. I value Eureka’s bottom‑up model because it allows companies to innovate across borders while protecting autonomy and standards. The challenge I see ahead is remaining open to the world while ensuring that Eureka countries can still shape their own technological destiny.”
“For me, the answer lies beyond Europe – with purpose. Global challenges require global innovation partnerships. By working with like‑minded countries around the world, I believe Eureka can give its companies access to fresh knowledge, new markets and diverse talent while contributing to shared global solutions. In my view, strategic openness – not isolation, will determine Europe’s relevance in the decades to come.“
“I believe innovation must earn public trust; I want to see innovation that visibly improves lives, primarily because of the economic development it generates, but also by aligning technological progress with societal needs – health, sustainability, safety and prosperity – I see a way to reinforce the social contract underpinning public investment in innovation. To me, the future belongs to solutions that are both commercially successful and socially meaningful.”
This article was published as part of our book marking the 40th anniversary of Eureka Network.