Vision2020: The Horizon Network will be holding its first Small and Medium Sized Enterprise (SME) information event in London on 25th October 2013, hosted by Imperial Consultants (ICON). Thetheme of the event will be connecting SMEs with research and technology organisations in preparation for the upcoming €70 billion Euro Horizon 2020 European funding programme.

SMEs are one of the groups that stand to significantly benefit from Horizon 2020, and they will be allocated at least €7 billion Euros for research and innovation work. The EU is also making significant efforts to unlock the vast amount of valuable research and Intellectual Property that is held by universities and research centres across Europe, through fast-track to market schemes designed specifically for innovating SMEs.

Vision2020 is delighted to confirm that Bernd Reichert (Head of SME Unit in DG Research & Innovation, European Commission) will be a keynote speaker presenting opportunities in Horizon 2020 for SMEs, alongside representatives from the UK Government's Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, representatives of SMEs that are active in European research and innovation and representatives of the Vision2020 platform. This event is free for SMEs (one representative per SME) and will be the first in a series of Vision2020 SME outreach events that will be held across Europe.

Please send an email to [email protected] if you have any queries about this event. If you have any problems on the day, please call +44 7850 121186

The draft programme of the event can be found here.