Eric Thelen is an accomplished innovation and research executive with over 20 years of international management experience in diverse high-tech fields. He studied Electrical Engineering at Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen and has worked in both multinational corporations and European organizations. As an energetic and result-driven leader with an entrepreneurial mindset, Eric has extensive experience in managing R&D, innovation strategy, product development, manufacturing, and IP. He excels at building structure and leading change management processes, as demonstrated by his success in incubation and venturing environments. Eric was the Director of EIT Digital Silicon Valley Hub, where he led a team that supported strategic partnerships with industry and academia. He was also the Head of Innovation and Education Operations and Secretary to the Management Committee at EIT Digital. Before joining EIT Digital, Eric spent a decade at Philips Research and was the Sector Head of Digital Care Solutions / Balanced Lifestyle Solutions. He was also the Chief Technology Officer at Philips Home Monitoring and led the Spin-out Project Spridge, Inc. in the role of Operations Manager and Founder. Eric now works as an innovation consultant at Eric Thelen B.V. and has previously founded Approiq B.V. His expertise and experience in innovation and R&D, portfolio management, strategic planning, and execution make him an invaluable asset to any organization.