2026 Innovation Symposium

Join us at NEOMA Business School’s Paris campus from May 21–23 for the 2026 Innovation Symposium.

Connect with global leaders and gain insights on the latest trends in innovation, AI, and strategic growth.

With 20+ expert speakers, this is a unique opportunity to collaborate and shape the future of innovation.

Key Dates & Timings:

Coffee & Registration opens 30 minutes prior to the start of each session (9:30 AM for morning sessions | 1:30 PM for afternoon sessions).

Thursday, May 21st: 1:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Friday, May 22nd: 09:00 AM – 6:00 PM & Social Event 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Saturday, May 23rd: 9:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Registration is free for current and former Executive MBA participants from BI, POLIMI, Fudan, and NEOMA.

Why should you join the Innovation Symposium?

Here are four compelling reasons to join this exclusive event and make the most of a unique learning and networking experience.

Gain cutting-edge insights

Discover key innovation trends transforming industries, directly from leading experts.

Connect with a unique network

Engage with fellow EMBA peers from top European business schools in a dynamic setting.

Tackle real-world challenges

Learn practical strategies to address open innovation, AI disruption, and more.

Shape the future of Innovation

Contribute to forward-thinking discussions and help define what’s next.

Agenda Overview

The 2026 Innovation Symposium spans three dynamic days of keynotes, panels, workshops, and networking opportunities. Attendees will gain cutting-edge insights on innovation trends, explore strategic approaches to growth, and engage in collaborative discussions with industry experts and peers.
This event is designed to inspire, connect, and empower leaders shaping the future of innovation.

VIEW FULL AGENDA

Thursday 21st May

Afternoon: Keynote – Panel discussion – Conference

Innovation, growth & competitiveness
Innovation and investment in a changing global landscape
The innovation ecosystem in France
Geopolitics and innovation
Conference NEO’Insights: Crowdsourcing & Consumer Decision-Making

Friday 22nd May

Morning: Company visits

You will visit several companies and innovation hubs within the French ecosystem to explore how organisations foster innovation in practice.
See the full agenda for programme details and company names.

Afternoon: Roundtable – Keynote – Workshop – Networking

Crowdsourcing and its challenges
AI and innovation
Workshop: AI and creativity
Evening networking reception

Saturday 23rd May

Morning: Keynote – Panel discussion

Social innovation
Openness for and towards social innovation

SPEAKERS: Voices driving Innovation forward

At the crossroads of academia, industry, and entrepreneurship, these speakers embody the evolution of innovation. Their diverse experiences and forward-thinking perspectives offer valuable insights into how innovation is imagined, built, and brought to life.

And this is just a glimpse; other renowned speakers will also be taking part.

Dr. Daria Gołębiowska-Tataj

Founder & CEO of Tataj Innovation and global expert on innovation networks. Former adviser to the EU Commissioner for Research and WEF Digital Leader (2017), she helped shape Europe’s innovation ecosystem, including EIT and EIC.

Prof. Michael Zaggl

Full Professor at NEOMA Business School specialising in digital and distributed innovation. His research focuses on crowdsourcing, strategic search and data-driven decision-making, with work published in leading journals such as MIS Quarterly and Research Policy.

Prof. Ana Colovic

Full Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship at NEOMA Business School. Her research focuses on business models, inter-firm networks and entrepreneurial innovation, with work published in journals such as Research Policy and Journal of World Business.

Prof. Alain Goudey

Professor of Digital Marketing and Chief Digital Officer at NEOMA Business School, Alain is a recognised expert in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and the impact of emerging technologies on business and education.

Prof. Robert Gregory

Associate Professor of Business Technology at the University of Miami Herbert Business School and Research Fellow at MIT CISR. His work explores digital innovation and emerging technologies transforming organisations and new ways of working.

Prof. Punit Arora

Associate Professor of Strategy, Sustainability & Entrepreneurship at the City College of New York (CUNY). His research explores sustainability, CSR and the evolving business–society relationship. Former Indian Civil Service officer and advisor in 50+ countries.

Prof. Geon Ho LEE

Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship at NEOMA Business School. His research explores innovation, multinational firms and global cities, focusing on knowledge networks, R&D, and international business strategy.

Prof. Sung Hun-Lee

Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship at NEOMA Business School. His research explores innovation, firm entry and industry evolution, with a focus on how technological change shapes industry dynamics and competition.

Prof. Fanny Cambier

Assistant Professor at NEOMA Business School specialising in marketing, branding and innovation. Former marketing executive at Unilever, Ferrero and Mondelez, her research explores consumer decision-making in emerging marketing practices.

Yohann Melamed

CEO of Agorize and innovation management expert with 13+ years of experience. He helps organisations worldwide harness collective intelligence and crowdsourcing to accelerate innovation and drive transformation.

Carlos Mendes

Co-founder of InnovationCast and expert in innovation management. He helps organisations generate stronger ideas faster and bring the most promising innovations from concept to implementation, supporting teams in turning ideas into real impact.

Leid Zejnilovic

Associate Professor at Nova SBE and Associate Dean for Digital Transformation. Academic entrepreneur and co-founder of several tech ventures and knowledge centers, his work focuses on innovation, digital transformation and user-driven innovation.

Florence Sardas

Partner, CTO and COMEX member at Forvis Mazars Group. Founder of the startup accelerator Forvis Mazars XFactory, she supports organisations and entrepreneurs in driving innovation, technology transformation and the development of new ventures.

Prof. Ravi Pandey

Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship at NEOMA Business School. His research explores innovation, ecosystems and emerging industries, including electric mobility, with a focus on how organisations and ecosystems evolve and coordinate.

Prof. Mehdi Bagherzadeh Niri

Professor of Innovation Management and Director of Research at NEOMA Business School. His research focuses on open and collaborative innovation, crowdsourcing and team dynamics, with publications in journals such as Journal of Management.

Prof. Bisrat A. Misganaw

Associate Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship at NEOMA Business School. His work explores entrepreneurial teams, academic spinoffs and entrepreneurship in informal economies, with a focus on emerging markets and inclusive growth.

Our speakers represent

2025 HIGHLIGHTS

Watch key moments, interviews and highlights from last year’s edition.

How to reach NEOMA Campus Paris

Where to find us:
📍 6 rue Vandrezanne, 75013 Paris

View on map: https://share.google/OHpAL3bOUYqGN8XPw

Getting here:
Metro: Lines 5, 6 & 7 – Place d’Italie or Tolbiac
Bus: Lines 27, 47, 57, 59, 61, 64, 67, 83 – full routes at www.ratp.fr
Parking: Italie 2 Mall

Accessible for all:
Fully accessible for visitors with reduced mobility

Have Questions? Contact Us

Feel free to reach out to our team for any additional details or inquiries regarding the event. We’re here to answer any questions you may have and ensure you have all the information you need.

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