European Innovation Council delegation highlights EIC-backed deeptech at CES 2024 in Las Vegas

At CES 2024 in Las Vegas the European Innovation Council led a visible delegation of 15 EIC-backed companies under the European Pavilion. The pavilion aimed to showcase European deeptech strengths in telecommunications, artificial intelligence and machine learning, healthcare, advanced manufacturing and optics. Organisers framed the presence as part of the EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0 which supports market entry and internationalisation of European start-ups and scaleups.

Scale and scope of the presence at a global tech stage

CES remains one of the largest global technology events. Organisers reported more than 4 000 exhibiting companies and over 130 000 attendees from around 150 countries and regions in the January 2024 edition. The EIC Pavilion sought to give a concentrated showcase for a selection of European innovations and arrange investor and corporate meetings to catalyse business opportunities.

What the pavilion showcased

The pavilion displayed a range of deeptech solutions. Public materials emphasised AI-driven developments for high-speed connectivity, smart devices and information sharing, assistive technologies for people with impairments, and high performance low power processing. The organisers described the experience as immersive and intended to signal that European companies can 'hold their own' against international competitors. That claim is plausible at the level of prototypes and demonstrations, but persuading customers and partners in meaningful commercial volumes will depend on supply chain readiness, standards compliance and regulatory approvals.

Events that accompanied the pavilion

The EIC delegation planned a packed agenda around CES. Highlights included a presence at the Silicon Valley Funding Summit on the day before CES. Jean David Malo, Director of EISMEA, gave a keynote on the EIC Fund's investment opportunities and took part in a pitching session with the 15 EIC companies. The pitch session was followed by bilateral meetings between companies and potential investors.

The EIC Pavilion was formally opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony by Jean David Malo and Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association. The pavilion opening gathered nearly 60 participants including EIC beneficiaries. A separate European Night Reception co-hosted by the EIC and national delegations from Belgium, Estonia, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland drew an invitation only audience of more than 250 people.

The reception included senior figures from European innovation networks and diplomacy. Named attendees included Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, Belgian Ambassador to the United States Jean-Arthur Régibeau, Maria Belovas Consul General of Estonia in San Francisco and Raffaella Valentini Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles. Industry representation included Gary Shapiro from the Consumer Technology Association. The reception was positioned as a networking opportunity to foster partnerships and business prospects.

High level discussion on AI and smart mobility

A panel titled AI and The Future of Smart Mobility addressed the transformative potential of AI in transport and logistics. The session was moderated by Jonas Seyfferth of PwC and featured Jean David Malo, Pasula Reddy Global CTO of Microsoft and Evangelos Simoudis an AI investor from Synapse Partners. Panelists highlighted the need for regulatory frameworks such as the EU AI Act to align technology development with ethical and safety considerations. The presence of a major cloud and platform vendor and an investor reflected typical trade-show dynamics where policy, technology and capital converge.

Corporate tours and partner meetings

The programme also organised targeted tours and group meetings for EIC companies with major corporates and technology firms. Participants reportedly met with teams from Google including Fiber and Ventures, Caterpillar, Intel, Meta, STMicroelectronics, TDK Corporation and IQVIA. These meetings are intended to surface potential pilot projects, supply relationships and investment. Such introductions are valuable but converting them into contracts or pilots requires further technical validation, procurement processes and often extended procurement cycles.

The 15 EIC-backed companies at CES 2024

Funding claim and what it means

Jean David Malo told attendees that the EIC had invested more than €90 million into the 15 scaleups at the pavilion through grants and equity. The EIC described this as a record level of support. That figure appears to be an aggregate across different EIC instruments. Public funding at this scale can be an important signal to co-investors and customers. At the same time public backing alone does not guarantee commercial traction. Startups still need to navigate unit economics, market fit, regulatory approvals and fundraising from private investors to scale sustainably.

Programme context and follow-up activities

CES participation was run under the EIC International Trade Fairs and USA Soft-landing Programme 3.0 or ITF 3.0. The programme runs through 2026 and aims to support EIC beneficiaries in commercialisation strategies in European and foreign markets. ITF 3.0 offers a suite of services including onboarding calls, pre-departure briefings, coaching on market entry and cultural differences, networking support, B2B matchmaking and tailored services at events. The EIC also promoted a delegation to Mobile World Congress 2024 and other trade fairs under the same programme.

Assessment and next steps for participants

Trade fair visibility and curated investor meetings are necessary but not sufficient for long term success in new markets. For EIC-backed companies the immediate priorities after CES typically include following up meetings with concrete pilot proposals, clarifying intellectual property and regulatory positions for target markets, and converting interest into letters of intent or paid pilots. Investors and corporate partners attending trade shows often meet many companies. Sustained engagement is required to move from an initial conversation to procurement or investment decisions.

From a policy angle the EIC presence illustrates the EU approach to scaling innovation by combining public funding and market access support. The model aims to increase the number of European scaleups that can compete globally. It is still early to judge long term outcomes from trade-fair participation alone. Independent impact assessments over time will be necessary to understand whether programmes like ITF 3.0 materially increase cross-border sales, private investment or industrial partnerships for beneficiaries.

Practical takeaways for startups and investors

For startups: use trade fairs to validate customer interest and secure follow up pilots. Prepare concise materials that address integration needs, pricing, and compliance. For investors: treat trade-show pitches as a first filter. Undertake technical due diligence and check how public funding interacts with private investment terms. For policymakers: measure outcomes beyond attendance and meetings by tracking contracts, pilot conversions and follow-on investment linked to the programme.

A video summary and more detailed information about the EIC ITF 3.0 programme and participating companies were published by the EIC. The EIC Community platform remains the reference for calls, events and follow-up resources for beneficiaries.

Disclaimer: This article is a restructured representation of public materials released by the European Innovation Council and related pages. It includes contextual explanation and critical perspective on claims and likely implications. The information should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission or any other organisation.