On January 26 KIT will host a panel debate on the theme ‘From Innovation to Impact’. The event is a unique collaboration between KIT, KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. An introductory lecture by the renowned doctor & statistician Dr Hans Rosling will set the stage for a debate between representatives from academia, the private sector and NGOs, all with a specific focus on the fields of public health, food security & nutrition. The program will be concluded by the world’s leading philanthropist, Mr. Bill Gates.

Due to a restricted amount of available seats, the event is by invitation only.

SDG2030

In 2015 the world community agreed on an ambitious development agenda for the years leading up to 2030 (SDG2030). Now that tangible goals have been set, the time has come to plan how to actually fulfil our promise to present and future generations. Innovative approaches, new products and cross-sectoral collaboration will be required to make sure that we can bring these Sustainable Development Goals to fruition, improving life for all, particularly the most needy among us. The roadmap from R&D to innovation and then through to scale-up for global impact will be the focus for the afternoon.

Panel debate

The panel will address questions such as: how is fundamental research by academia transferred into a proposition that can be brought to worldwide implementation? What roles do public institutions, the private sector and NGOs have, and how might they interact towards a yet greater and more targeted contribution? Bringing together thought leaders from different parts of the chain ‘from innovation to impact’ we can showcase how specific successes came about and explore future synergistic ways to cooperate across sectors.

Speakers Frank Cobelens (KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation / AIGHD), Louise Fresco (Wageningen University), Walter van Kuijen (Phillips), Berry Marttin (Rabobank), Hanneke Schuitemaker (Crucell-Janssen) and Bart de Steenhuijsen Piters (KIT) will discuss two specific fields – nutrition (food security) and global health (TB control) – in which Dutch innovative capacity working in global partnership throughout the innovation cycle has brought about significant change.