EULiST-URJC Matchmaking Event brings European Project ideas to life
The event was officially opened by Abraham Duarte, Rector of Rey Juan Carlos University, who highlighted the strategic importance of creating spaces that facilitate interdisciplinary and international collaboration. In his welcome address, he stressed that such initiatives perfectly reflect the university’s mission and strengths: “At Rey Juan Carlos University, as a comprehensive university, our researchers work across a very broad range of disciplines: from engineering, energy, environmental sciences and digital technologies to health, economics, communication, law, social sciences and humanities.” He further noted that “this matchmaking event is therefore very well aligned with that vision”, underlining the value of bringing together experts from different fields to address complex societal challenges through European research and innovation projects.
Participants were also welcomed by César Cáceres, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation at URJC, who introduced the objectives and methodology of the event. He explained the matchmaking approach, designed not only to showcase project ideas but also to facilitate the creation of future consortia by connecting researchers with potential partners, complementary expertise and shared interests.
The programme was organised around three thematic round tables, a series of elevator-pitch sessions and dedicated consortium-building meetings. The round tables created opportunities for open discussion on sustainability, European funding programmes and collaboration between universities and external stakeholders.
A central component of the event was the elevator-pitch format. Across three pitching sessions, participants presented project concepts targeting forthcoming European calls expected in 2027. Each presenter had five minutes to introduce their idea, explain its objectives, identify the targeted funding opportunity and outline the expertise sought from potential consortium partners. This concise format enabled attendees to gain a rapid overview of a wide range of emerging initiatives while identifying opportunities for collaboration.
More than thirty project concepts were presented by researchers from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Institut Mines-Télécom, Brno University of Technology, National Technical University of Athens, University of Stuttgart, Università degli Studi dell’Aquila and Lappeenranta University of Technology. The programme also featured contributions from representatives of public administrations, European university alliances, innovation agencies, business-support organisations and private-sector stakeholders, including the ULYSSEUS Alliance, the Enterprise Europe Network Madrid, the Móstoles Business Incubator, SensoWave and Fuenlabrada City Council. Together, participants presented project ideas addressing topics ranging from climate adaptation, renewable energies and circular economy solutions to artificial intelligence, education, entrepreneurship, sustainable tourism, water resilience, soil restoration, autonomous vehicles and advanced industrial technologies.
Following each pitching session, attendees participated in dedicated matchmaking and consortium-formation meetings. These networking activities constituted the core of the event, allowing participants to discuss potential collaborations directly with project promoters, identify complementary expertise and explore concrete ways to contribute to future proposals. By moving beyond simple presentations and facilitating structured interaction among researchers, institutions and external stakeholders, the event enabled ideas to evolve into potential project partnerships.
The EULiST-URJC Matchmaking Event concluded with a reporting session in which participants shared the main opportunities identified throughout the discussions, followed by closing remarks and the definition of next steps. By combining expert dialogue, project pitching and structured networking, the event successfully strengthened connections within the EULiST community and beyond, reinforcing the alliance’s commitment to fostering international cooperation and developing impactful research and innovation projects capable of addressing major societal challenges.
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