EDIH Summit 2026: Strengthening the AI Innovation Ecosystem

9 – 10 Jun 2026 | Brussels, Belgium

Tuesday, 9 June 2026 | 16:15 - 17:30

TWG Agrifood

Format:In-personLocation:Studio 206, 2 Floor

From Knowledge Sharing to Deployment: Operationalising the AgriFood EDIH Network

The aim of this interactive session is to move the AgriFood Thematic Working Group from knowledge exchange toward Applied AI deployment across the EDIH network. Participants will explore how EDIHs, TEFs and regional actors can jointly enable SME uptake of AI and digital solutions, identifying shared deployment pathways, system bottlenecks and opportunities for cross-EDIH collaboration. The session will also inform the draft TWG Action Plan (2026–2027) by translating network insights into practical, scalable initiatives aligned with EU priorities, with a focus on enabling Applied AI adoption across SMEs. 

Speakers and moderators:  

  • Laura Clifford, National contact point for EDIH Ireland 

  • Raffaele Giaffreda, Chief Innovation Scientist, FBK (Italy) 

  • Dr Lucía Castro Díaz , Manager, AI Factory - DataLife (Spain) 

  • Rani Van Gompel, Stakeholder manager CEADS, ILVO (Belgium) 

  • Nicholas Ferguson, Senior Project Manager, Trust-IT Services - DEDEP.eu (Italy) 

  • Niccolò Zazzeri, Project Manager, Trust-IT Services (Italy) 

  • Gabriele Quattrochi, Project Manager, Trust-IT Services - DEDEP.eu 

  • Stephen Barnes, Coordinator, ENTIRE (Ireland)