Yes, participation physically in Silicon Valley is required, and it is the core Connect & Experience event that provides you with professional training, and builds the community. You will have the chance to travel round the country, meet US peers and learn from one if the world’s leading innovation ecosystems.

The cohort will be comprised of ecosystem – innovation& education leaders from all over Europe that were carefully selected to join the programme. You will meet peers and innovation leaders from Silicon Valley, top speakers and lecturers on a number of different topics, executives from global companies active in Silicon Valley, and many more.Finally, you will have the opportunity to discuss with all key actors in the region including tech giants, VCs, startups, universities and accelerators ie from Apple, Microsoft, Plug & Play, MTB, Stanford University etc. (The agenda is tentative and subject to changes)

An ecosystem leader is an experienced senior professional, at management/decision-making level, in an organisation boosting European start-up growth, significantly impacting the European ecosystem. They should deal with innovation or business creation in any of the following sectors: industry, academia, government. For example, VCs, TTOs, Heads of: accelerators, Innovation agencies, Research Centers, incubators, or other business creation activities from academia, industry and government.

The programme encompasses a wide variety of subjects, including an overview of the Silicon Valley ecosystem and meetings with leading figures from the industry. You will have the chance to get your hands ‘dirty’ and delve into an ecosystem building workshop, learn best practices, become inspired by the many opportunities that will expose themselves and test your transatlantic business creation ideas.

The applicants will be ranked according to the criteria noted here and the final decision as to the participants will be made by the Global Outreach steering committee. Applicants will receive responses by 11th October. If you wish to submit a complaint about the answer you got following the selection process, you can email us: orestis.trasanidis@eitdigital.eu

Please explain your complaint as clearly as possible, deadline: 15 October, 2023.

Past participants of EIT connect & experience programmes have established long standing collaborations with both local experts and members of the cohort. You can expect to be left with a change of mindset that will enable you to approach your future activities with a new found sense of purpose, a tangible pathway to establish the best practices you were exposed, as well as support to launch your transatlantic activities. The Connect & Experience community is extremely active with joint ventures taking place on a weekly basis, you can expect to expand your network and be part of a supportive and professional group of people.

The Silicon Valley ecosystem renowned as the Innovation Capital of the world is the global center for high technology and innovation. Silicon Valley has the highest number of scale-ups and capital raised in the world. The ecosystem has cultivated a culture of innovation, encouraged creativity and risk-taking, that supported early-stage startups, and encouraged collaboration. Silicon Valley is the global innovation trend seter as is home to some of the world’s most successful and innovative companies.