Willem Jonker is CEO at EIT Digital, a leading European digital innovation and entrepreneurial education organisation driving Europe’s digital transformation.

EIT Digital strengthens Europe’s position in the digital world by delivering breakthrough digital innovations to the market and breeding entrepreneurial talent for economic growth and improved quality of life. It also invests in strategic areas to accelerate the market uptake and scaling of research-based digital technologies (deep tech) focusing on Europe’s strategic, societal challenges: Digital Tech, Digital Cities, Digital Industry, Digital Wellbeing, and Digital Finance.

During this Mind the Chat, Mind the Bridge’s CEO Marco Marinucci briefly retraces together with Willem the history of this organization (numbers, grand plans, the “Governing board” and new members). He then goes on to ask him about programs, latest studies, success stories (and ways to measure it – read KPIs), the Silicon Valley Hub and EIT Digital support to startups during COVD19. Finally, they address the issue of the role and opportunities of EU applied research and Impact of the EU Green Deal in EU-based innovation competitiveness.

About Willem Jonker
Willem has a broad background in ICT, both in industry as well as in academia. He studied mathematics and computer science at Groningen University, worked at Delft University of Technology, received his PhD from the University of Utrecht, and is a part-time full professor in computer science at Twente University.
His industrial experience covers telecommunications (KPN), IT (European Computer industry Research Centre, Munich) and consumer electronics (Philips). He held several positions as researcher, international project leader, department head, sector head, and account manager. In 2006 he was appointed Vice President Philips Research. Prof. Dr. Jonker has served European ICT research in various ways amongst others as project leader, reviewer, and advisor.

**This Mind the Chat is part of the ‘Innovation Executive Views’ series of the 2020 Digital Scaleup Summit in Silicon Valley**