The ALICE Logistics Innovation Summit 2024 reaches a successful conclusion!
The ALICE Logistics Innovation Summit 2024 in Brussels has come to a successful close, and FIT is proud to have been part of this influential event! Held on November 6th and 7th, the Summit marked ALICE’s 10th anniversary by gathering top industry stakeholders, policymakers, innovators, and thought leaders from across Europe to discuss the future of logistics.
The Summit was an invaluable opportunity to engage with cutting-edge ideas, novel approaches, and groundbreaking projects aimed at addressing the twin transition to greener and smarter logistics solutions.
Paola Cossu, CEO of FIT and member of the ALICE Board of Directors, opened the second day of ALICE Summit introducing the session “The Role of Research and Innovation in Freight Transport and Logistics Twin Transition.” The session, moderated by Giuseppe Luppino, ALICE Programmes Manager, highlighted how European research and innovation initiatives, such as Horizon Europe and the future R&I programme, highlighted in the Draghi report as core for European competitiveness, are enabling the logistics sector to decarbonise and become more competitive.
The session featured insightful perspectives from Andrea Gentili (EU Commission, DG RESEARCH & INNOVATION), Andrea Condotta (GRUBER Logistics), and a panel of experts: Angelos Amditis (ICCS – NTUA), Giorgio Travaini (Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking), Isabelle Schnell (Volvo Group Trucks Technology) and Salvador Furió Pruñonosa (Fundación Valenciaport). The discussion explored strategies to achieve transformational impact in logistics. Key takeways included:
- EU Technology Platforms: Platforms such as ALICE play a key role in bridging research and industry together with the European Commission, fostering collaboration and ensuring that innovations are effectively scaled up to address real-world challenges.
- Sustanability and competitiveness: Road, Rail, waterways and ports need to be interconnected to create efficient logistics network. ALICE is the glue across transportation modes and has a clear role on making transportation deliver. More focus on systemic innovation and integration is needed
- Digital and green transition: The importance of large-scale demonstration projects to build trust and building pan-European digital ecosystem was highlighted.
The session underlined the need for collaborative partnerships across public and private stakeholder to upgrade logistics to enable European industrial competitiveness.
The ALICE Summit served as an ideal platform for FIT to connect with other leaders in the field, exchange insights, and build strategic partnerships across the European logistics ecosystem. Engaging with other Horizon-funded projects and innovative initiatives, FIT reaffirmed its commitment to advancing sustainable urban logistics through collaboration and shared knowledge. The event also fostered conversations on the vital role of European partnerships in driving forward the next generation of logistics technologies, underscoring the importance of collaboration in tackling shared challenges.
Many thanks to all those who shared their insights with us and contributed to the lively exchange of ideas that characterised the Summit. This event underlined the power of unity and collaboration in creating innovative solutions for a resilient and sustainable logistics future. We look forward to harnessing the connections and ideas generated by the ALICE Summit and continuing our journey towards a smarter, greener logistics landscape in Europe.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who shared their insights, and contributed to the vibrant exchange of ideas that characterized the Summit. This event underscored the power of unity and collaboration in creating innovative solutions for a resilient and sustainable logistics future. We look forward to building on the connections and ideas sparked at the ALICE Summit and to continuing our journey toward a smarter, greener logistics landscape in Europe.
