Dr. Gernot Klotz

Dr. Gernot Klotz had been working for the US based pharmaceutical company Armour, when he joined Bayer in various business sections (pharmaceutical, animal health and crop protection/product development). Since February 2007, Gernot Klotz has been the Executive Director for Research and Innovation for the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic). Specific key areas of responsibility are innovation (technology development, innovation policies, societal acceptance of new technologies and products), emerging science-policy issues (Health and Environment) and the CEFIC Long Range Research Initiative (LRI) Programme.

Dr. Klotz is also a Board Member of the EU Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem) and a member of various advisory Boards of EU Research & Innovation Programmes. Gernot Klotz has been called on to various advisory and steering committees at OECD, WHO and EU Commission level in areas such as innovation, technology development and acceptance, and impact on environment on health. He was in leadership team of the High Level Group Key Enabling Technologies (HLG KETs) and he also led the KET’s Working Group on Nanotechnologies.

Presentation

Is Europe’s approach to innovation fit for purpose? The challenge for KETs

In order to stay competitive in the global race, not only on the industrial side, but also on the European societal approach, innovation is of key importance. New technologies, change of mindset as well as new ways of better working together, in the public and private sector, are key to the success. Europe is strong in research; however, as “Research is turning money into knowledge, and innovation is turning knowledge into money”, the current framework and rules developed exclusively for innovation are not sufficient. We need a fitness check and the appropriate consequences to make the system fit for further purposes in innovation. With the example of KETs, the case of the dedicated revised European innovation system will be made. This is to ensure growth and employment in Europe in a way that is harvesting from our knowledge.

 Is Europe’s approach to innovation fit for purpose? The challenge for KETs