Rome, Italy, July 15, 2024 – Huawei is proud to announce the final results and the awards of 2024 European Seeds for the Future project, after a week of activities held from July 1-5 in the historic city of Rome. The Italy event was the first in-person gathering following online only editions in recent years. This prestigious event brought together 145 top students from 23 European countries. They were joined by 10 Chinese exchange students from Tsinghua University, to celebrate the long history of Italy-China relations. The Seeds for the Future event comes in the 700th anniversary year of the death of Marco Polo, the famed Italian explorer to China.
This year’s edition of European Seeds for the Future program featured workshops, panel discussions, and insights from industry experts and representatives from academia. Students had the opportunity to explore the practicalities of different tech career paths, deepen their understanding of innovation, digitalization, sustainability and entrepreneurship, hone their digital skills and contribute to building a strong, supportive community committed to a digital and intelligent Europe.
During his speech, Senior Vice President of Huawei Europe, Radoslaw Kedzia, welcomed all the guests and underlined: “The cultivation of ICT talent is more crucial than ever as we navigate the complexities of the digital age. Europe stands at the forefront of technological advancement, and it is imperative that we invest in the education and development of our young professionals. By nurturing their skills and providing them with the right tools and opportunities, we ensure that Europe remains a leader in the global digital landscape.”
“In a world where technology has become an essential component of every aspect of our daily and professional lives, it is crucial that our students have access to opportunities which prepare them adequately for the challenges of the future” – declared the Undersecretary of State to the Ministry of Education and Merit, Hon. Paola Frassinetti in her speech at the closing ceremony. “This program, by placing emphasis on the concrete application in the industrial world and on the need to develop technologies able to improve our lives while respecting the planet, provides students with the characteristics that will define the ruling class of tomorrow.”
During the event Huawei also announced a special partnership with InnovUp, a non-profit association that represents and brings together the entire Italian innovation ecosystem. 24 Italian students who attended the Seeds for the Future program will have access to the Founders Academy created by InnovUp. The course in 16 lessons, will allow participants to learn fundamental notions for any aspiring start-upper: from financing tools to the protection of intellectual property, from design thinking to go-to-market, up to the most effective communication and marketing strategies to promote their business.
“Our Founders Academy was created to inspire and support innovators and entrepreneurs in the creation of their innovative business. For this reason, we are very proud of this collaboration with Huawei, which will allow Seeds for the Future students and many other young innovative entrepreneurs of tomorrow to train with practical digital lessons, conducted by experts, professionals and leaders in the field of Italian innovation” – said Giorgio Ciron, Director of InnovUp.
At the closing ceremony Mustafa Ermis, Head of the Human Resources and Training Department at BTK Academy in Turkiye said: “This event is not just a competition, but also a great opportunity for our young developers to showcase and enhance their skills. It enables the creation of new ideas and projects that will contribute to our country’s digital transformation process.”
The most outstanding accomplishments of the Seeds alumni throughout the whole program were recognized at the award show, constituting the culmination of the closing ceremony. Two of the best teams, team Anaphero from Ireland and team BioBuddy from Benelux, were awarded with the opportunity to take part in the global Tech4Good competition in China next year. People’s Choice Award went to team Nordic Shine from Finland.
