This year, EU4Innovation East supported two key panels at the event in Aix–Marseille–Provence, amplifying the voices of innovation leaders from Ukraine, Armenia, and Moldova.
Panel 1: Strategic perspectives on innovation ecosystems in the Eastern Partnership Region
Organised by EU4Innovation East and co-hosted with Emerging Valley and Expertise France, this panel brought together leading ecosystem builders from Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine to reflect on resilience, transformation, and the accelerating innovation potential across the Eastern Partnership. Moderated by Séverine Peters Desteract, Director of the Department for Sustainable and Inclusive Economy at Expertise France, the session explored the unique assets shaping each national innovation landscape. Throughout the discussion, speakers highlighted how their ecosystems are navigating distinct challenges while uncovering new opportunities for collaboration, talent development, and regional growth.
Representing Ukraine, Olena Voroshylova, Head of Partnerships and International Cooperation at the Ukrainian Startup Fund, noted that Ukraine’s innovation ecosystem is undergoing rapid evolution in the context of war. She explained that the country has naturally become both an innovation hub and a testing ground in sectors such as defense and entrepreneurship, sharing that 18% of Ukrainian startups have been launched since the start of the war—a strong indication that Ukrainian innovators continue not only to stay afloat but to grow despite adversity.
Viorica Cerbușcă, CEO of Artcor and Founder of Yep!Moldova, highlighted Moldova’s growing ambition to position itself as a tech-driven nation. Viorica pointed to the steady rise of startups and the rapid development of the country’s startup ecosystem, which now counts roughly 250–300 companies and continues to attract new investment. Through Yep!Moldova’s accelerators, support programs for founders, youth initiatives, and international networks, she underscored that Moldova is innovating with agility and purpose — and is ready for new partnerships.
Joining from Armenia, Edita Ghazaryan, Deputy CEO of Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE), spoke about the rapid growth of Armenia’s tech and innovation ecosystem. She underscored the importance of community-driven initiatives, the expanding role of Armenian tech companies on the global stage, and the increasing value of cross-border collaboration within the region. „This panel helped us understand shared challenges and opportunities across the region and highlighted how much stronger we are when we exchange real experiences. It created a space for honest dialogue and practical collaboration. Armenia’s tech community stands committed to building these bridges,” she mentioned.
Panel 2: Cultural and creative industries — Moldova’s perspective
Eu4Innovation East supported the participation of Viorica Cerbușcă in the panel called Cultural & Creative Industries landscape, where she reflected on how Moldova is shaping a long-term vision to become a truly creative nation. She highlighted the collaborative power of spaces like Artcor and Mediacor, where artists, technologists, and entrepreneurs come together to co-create and strengthen the future of the country’s cultural and creative sectors. Despite limited resources, she emphasized Moldova’s agility and its ability to turn constraints into opportunities. Viorica also underlined the expanding use of digital storytelling and immersive technologies to strengthen Moldova’s cultural heritage, tourism, and international visibility. She also expressed her gratitude to the EU4Innovation East project for opening doors and connecting Moldovan creators and innovators with partners who believe in the transformative potential of creativity.
Emerging Valley- A platform for collaboration and global alliances
With purpose-driven startups, investors, diaspora entrepreneurs, and public leaders joining the event, EMERGING Valley continued to position itself as a key meeting point for new digital partnerships. This year’s edition particularly highlighted the value of intercontinental cooperation, with Aix–Marseille–Provence acting as a natural connector between Africa, Europe, and Asia.
