Chief Innovation Officer, Irish Manufacturing Research (IE)

Dr Andrew Lynch is the Chief Innovation Officer with Irish Manufacturing Research, an independent Industry-led RTO in the Irish State.  Andrew is a founding Director of the EUREKA SMART Manufacturing Instrument, Chairman of the Irish National Steering Committee on Collaborative Robotics, a member of the IMR I4 Steering Committee and a national delegate to the European ManuFuture High Level Group (HLG).  A member of the ECSEL LIASE Committee, Andrew is also a national industrial coordinator and a recognized manufacturing expert within Irish Commercialization funding programs and across a number of EU platforms.  For 20 years prior to his current role, Andrew worked in manufacturing companies, across nearly all sectors; as a senior executive, owner manager and business consultant.  In his current role Andrew has specialized in the development of large nationally funded industrial research projects, engaging multinational corporations and indigenous companies in the areas of advanced manufacturing (e.g. I4.0) and industrial energy efficiency (programs which now include 33 multinationals and over 120 SME partners).  He holds a Degree in Biochemistry, a Master’s Degree in Environmental Analytical Chemistry and a PhD in Engineering.  Happily married with two adored daughters, in his spare time Andrew is a contributor to several business forums and enjoys golf, Pilates, running and hill climbing.

Technical Director, European Factories of the Future Research Association

After obtaining his master of electro-mechanical engineering at the University of Leuven, Chris got involved fairly quickly in European research and innovation programmes.

At EFFRA, Chris Decubber aims at generating consensus on research and innovation priorities among the industrial and research community for the ‘Factories of the Future’ PPP. Chris coordinates the monitoring of the outcome and progress of the ‘Factories of the Future’ PPP and works on knowledge transfer mechanisms that enhance the impact of the FoF PPP.   Chris also initiated the ConnectedFactories Coordination Action which focuses on the developing of pathways to the digitalisation of manufacturing.

Innovation and Technology Director, MONDRAGON Corporation (ES)

Eduardo Beltrán de Nanclares has a BSc. in Electronics and Automation Physics and a MSc. in Electronics and Automation, both from the University of the Basque Country. He is currently Innovation and Technology Director of MONDRAGON Corporation. He has 25 years of experience in Technology and Product Development and Innovation Management, in sectors such as Automotive, Household Appliances and Capital Goods. He worked in General Electric, Tecnalia, Copreci and also in Koniker Technology Centre as its General Manager.

From April 2011 Eduardo Beltrán is member of the board of directors of EFFRA – European Factories of the Future Research Association.

Eduardo Beltrán is the chairman of the Eureka Cluster SMART for Advanced Manufacturing and member of ECSEL group of experts Industry4.E LIASE.

Director Research and Development Funding, Infineon Technologies AG (DE)

Knut Hufeld has been working for Infineon Technologies AG and the former Siemens Semiconductor Division since 1995. He received his diploma in electrical engineering/informatics (M.S. degree) from the Technical University of Ilmenau, Germany, in 1993. Knut Hufeld worked in several research departments on system process control, parallel processing and algorithmic characterisation of parasitic effects in circuit design at Siemens Corporate Research and later Infineon. Since 2001 he coordinates funded research programs on European and national scale for Infineon.

Knut Hufeld was active in the Artemis SRA discussion since the beginning and had become a member of the Artemis-IA Steering Board in 2012 and of the Artemis-IA Presidium in 2017. He is also representing Infineon in national and European expert groups as counterpart to the German and European PAs. As coordinator of funded research programs for Infineon Technologies AG, Knut Hufeld is personally involved in several H2020 and ECSEL projects like Productive4.0 or EPI- the European Processor Initiative for Low power High Performance Computing. In 2017 Knut Hufeld became a member of the Advisory Board, the LIASE, of the ECSEL lighthouse initiative Industry4.E on Digital Industry. Knut Hufeld has a long-term experience on PPP activities, representing the Infineon Technologies AG in several strategic research initiatives and organizations like eNova, the strategy platform for e-mobility and autonomous driving of the German Automotive Industry or as steering board member of ETP4HPC, the European Technology Platform for High Performance Computing.

Programme Leader, VTT (FI)

Olli Ventä (m), D. Sc. Technology, Research Manager of Industrial Internet. In 2001–2004, Dr. Ventä was the leader of the national technology programme Intelligent Automation Systems (Tekes). In the recent past, he has been the Programme Leader of VTT’s programmes Intelligent Products and Systems (2003–2006), Complex Systems Design (2006–2008), and e-Engineering (2009-12). Dr. Ventä is a Board Member of Finnish Automation Foundation. On EU arenas, Olli Ventä is active in ECSEL (e.g., an SRA chapter leader of Digital Industry and a member of the respective LIASE group), in EFFRA and in BDVA. Dr. Ventä is a Knight, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland, issued by the President of Finland on December 6, 2015.

Head of Unit for “Technologies and Systems for Digitising Industry”, European Commission DG CONNECT

Dr. Max Lemke is the Head of Unit for “Technologies and Systems for Digitising Industry” in Directorate General CONNECT of the European Commission. He has a leading role in developing and coordinating the Digitising European Industry strategy. Further Max Lemke is involved in the European Strategy for Artificial Intelligence and the preparation of the new programmes proposed for the next Multi-annual Financial Framework of the European Union.

In the European Commission’s Research and Innovation Programme HORIZON 2020, Dr Lemke is responsible for the areas embedded and cyber-physical systems, advanced computing, and ICT for manufacturing. He is co-responsible in CONNECT for the Joint Technology Initiative ECSEL (Electronic Components and Systems for European Leadership) and the Public Private Partnership Factories of the Future. In the latter context he has gradually built the initiatives I4MS (ICT Innovation for Manufacturing SMEs) and Smart Anything Everywhere. He is particularly devoted to establishing a pan-European network of digital innovation hubs covering all of Europe and to strengthening European leadership on digital industrial value chains and platforms.

Dr Lemke has worked in various areas in the European Commission Research and Innovation Programmes since 1995. Before joining the Commission, Max has worked in research and industry in Germany, the US, and the UK. With a Doctorate in Natural Sciences, he has a scientific background in numerical mathematics, parallel computing, and software engineering.