European Entrepreneurship and Innovation Thought Leaders

The European Entrepreneurship and Innovation Thought Leaders Seminar (EEITL) is a weekly lecture series on entrepreneurship and technology innovation as practiced in Europe — and by Europeans in Silicon Valley — co-sponsored by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and our European Government Partners. The seminar is free and Open to the Public, and is affiliated with the Stanford Technology Ventures Program. It also functions as a class called Mechanical Engineering 421 (ME 421).

Why Europe and EEITL?

The Stanford School of Engineering's committment to entrepreneurship in its undergraduate and graduate teaching and research programs dates back well over a decade. While our primary focus today remains on the entrepreneurship scene here in Silicon Valley and the USA — exemplified by the weekly Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Seminar (ETL) — we have in recent years also expanded our scope of interest to the broader global landscape. Faculty of the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP) are today actively engaged in entrepreneurship education across four continents. The US-Asia Technology Management Center in the Electrical Engineering Department also offers the Entrepreneurship in Asian High-Tech Industries Public Lecture Series (EE 402T) each Spring Quarter.

The Mechanical Engineering Department is now pleased to offer this new experimental course which focuses on an emerging — but relatively neglected — innovation region and community. From Ireland to Russia, and from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, Europe's technology sector is today playing an growing role in bringing new energy, environmental, water, information, medical device and life sciences technologies to market thru small- and medium-sized enterprises. Europe's countries, however, face substantial challenges in rapidly moving technical innovations developed in universities, national laboratories and corporations into the marketplace. Many of these regional innovation clusters are increasingly looking to domestic entrepreneurship — and Silicon Valley — to accelerate this process and train a new generation of entrepreneurial leaders.

What is the time and location for EEITL?

EEITL takes place every Monday 4:15 PM to 5:30 PM in Skilling Auditorium, School of Engineering, Stanford University (next to the Durand building and close to Terman Engineering building), Holidays and Spring Break excepted. Click here for directions and a map to Skilling Auditorium and on-campus parking.

How can I view the sessions later?

Each quarter, the sessions are available to watch online via the Stanford Center for Professional Development (SCPD). Once the quarter is complete, the files are removed from the server. For a fee, it is possible to request a tape or DVD of the event from SCPD directly.

Can I register to receive credit for this class?

Yes. If you are a Stanford student, you can take the class for one credit. Please read the grading policy under grading info. If you want to attend the lectures but do not wish to receive academic credit, you may simply audit it. GSB students can sign up for the class through AXESS — there is no need to go through the GSB sign-up procedure for this course. School of Medicine and Law students can also sign up for the class through AXESS.