Brain Innovation Days 2021 – Key takeaways

Brain Innovation Days 2021- Key takeaways from our speakers

After over 18 months of planning and three digital events, the first-ever, in-person Brain Innovation Days, led by the European Brain Council, took place on 12-13 October 2021 in Brussels, Belgium.

Postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two-day event was able to go ahead this year under strict sanitary measures and was a welcome reunion for the wider brain community, bringing together scientists/researchers, clinicians, industry, patients and patient representatives, policymakers, start-ups and many others working and interested in the brain space.

The event kicked off with a Welcome Reception on the Monday, 11 October, leading into a packed programme across two days filled with community application-led Breakout and Agora Sessions, Innovation Showcases, Business Panels and a policy-driven European Brain Summit, the latter organised in partnership with EBRAINS in conjunction to the Brain Innovation Days and the Human Brain Project Summit.

Look back at the key takeaways from the speakers!

Monica Di Luca

Immediate Past President, European Brain Council

“It is crucial, in our opinion, that Europe sets bold targets aimed at accelerating brain research, reducing the societal impact of neurological disorders and mental ill-health. Now is the time to act.”

Raúl Martín-Ruiz

Partner, Ysios Capital

“What we want to see is an indication, like in CNS, of unmet needs. We want to invest in something that can really make a difference and where there is a clear unmet need.”

Patrice Boyer

Immediate Past Vice President, European Brain Council

“The main goal of the Brain Innovation Days was to put together academia, researchers, private companies, civil society representatives and patients, industry, investors, etc., and in this respect it has been a great success because the interaction has been excellent and extremely promising for future.”

Pierre Delsaux

Deputy Director General, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission

“I'm very pleased to have been invited to this very important event on the brain, which is certainly something which is fundamental because we all are affected by this. We know people who have been affected by brain diseases and we know this is something which is quite common in Europe and everywhere in the world.”

Kim Baden-Kristensen

CEO, Brain+

“I think it's really wonderful to have both the scientists, the clinicians, the patient representatives here and to be able to showcase some of the new innovations that we're doing here.”

Christian J. Suojanen

CEO, Broadreach Global LLC

“Watch the sessions if you haven't seen them yet and get involved and come next year. Great meeting, you should be there."

Brain Innovation Days 2021 – Key takeaways