The 2nd Sustainable Value Creation Summit
VCW Lab @ Nova SBE
Nova SBE, Universidade Nova Lisboa
Carcavelos, Cascais, Portugal
19-28 January 2026
Build partnerships at Nova SBE using the Value Creation Wheel.
Would you like to connect with national and international organizations, address shared challenges, and explore access to national and European funding? Horizon Europe will make €14 billion available in funding during 2026-2027, offering a major opportunity for organizations across all sectors and European countries to work together on meaningful challenges. The 2nd SVCS is designed to support partnership building and is aimed at participants who want to play an active role in cross-sector and cross-country collaborations, with the goal of forming consortia to apply for national and European funding calls.
A structured, hands-on format
The Summit is organized across eight dedicated days, each focused on a specific topic and thematic area aligned with national and European Union priorities and Horizon Europe Clusters.
Morning session: Focus on individual work, during which participants apply myVCW to their own organizational challenges and develop a Value Creation Canvas (VC²). The objective is to build a strong value proposition for their organization with the potential to secure funding from national calls or European Commission programs.
Lunch break: Participants may choose from numerous nearby dining options.
After lunch: A relaxed networking session organized by NUCLIO will take place, featuring a light and engaging activity designed to help individuals and organizations get to know each other better before the start of the afternoon sessions.
Afternoon session: A collaborative and team-based session. Participants work together to explore, refine, and advance solutions using the VCW methodology, aligning their individual value propositions with those of other organizations to form national and international consortia.
See photos from the 2nd Sustainable Value Creation Summit
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Day 1 - Cluster 1: Health
Monday, 19 January 2026
Prevention, preparedness, digital health and health system resilience, with strong emphasis on implementation and societal impact. -
Day 2 - Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Democracy, inclusion, governance, social innovation and behavioural change, with a strong policy and impact orientation.
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Day 3 - Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society
Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Crisis management, civil protection, cybersecurity and societal resilience, focused on interoperability and operational readiness. -
Day 4 – Education, Science & Innovation | All Clusters and All EU Missions
Thursday, 22 January 2026
A cross-cutting day bringing together education systems, scientific knowledge, research excellence, and innovation ecosystems across all thematic clusters and EU Missions, focusing on how learning, science, and innovation translate into sustainable value creation and long-term societal impact.
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Day 5 - Leaders and Executives from Organizations & Public Institutions | All Clusters and All EU Missions
Friday, 23 January 2026
A leadership-focused day convening executives, policymakers, and senior decision-makers from organizations and public institutions across all EU Missions, addressing strategic governance, organisational transformation, and long-term value creation in complex and uncertain environments.
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Day 6 - Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space
Monday, 26 January 2026
AI, data, advanced industry, space and Earth Observation, focusing on competitiveness, scalability and deployment. -
Day 7 – Cluster 5: Climate, Energy and Mobility
Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Climate action, energy transition and clean mobility, centred on systemic change and measurable environmental impact. -
Day 8 – Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources and Environment
Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Sustainable food systems, bioeconomy, biodiversity and natural resources, with emphasis on circularity and ecological resilience.
AGENDA
Room: B131 (all days) | 26–27 Jan: B134.
A laptop or tablet will be needed for the sessions.
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08:30 – 09:00
Check-in
Arrival of participants, badge collection, and informal welcome -
09:00 – 10:45
myVCW Session
Hands-on introduction to the Value Creation Wheel, focusing on problem framing and strategic alignment. -
10:45 – 11:15
Networking Coffee – Delta Horizon Exchange
Coffee break sponsored by Delta, designed to encourage informal networking and peer exchange. -
11:15 – 12:30
myVCW Session
Continuation of the myVCW process, deepening analysis and collaborative work. -
12:30 – 13:30
Lunch
Networking lunch offering time to connect and recharge. -
13:30 – 14:30
Team Building
Interactive activities aimed at strengthening collaboration and trust within teams. -
14:30 – 16:00
VCW Funnel
Structured decision-making and prioritisation using the VCW methodology. -
16:00 – 16:30
Networking Coffee – Delta Horizon Exchange
Afternoon coffee break focused on cross-team and cross-sector interaction. -
16:30 – 18:00
VCW Funnel
Application of the VCW Funnel to refine solutions and actionable pathways. -
18:00 – 19:30
Astronomical Observation with a Telescope
Guided stargazing session using professional telescopes, closing the day with a shared experience.
Horizon Europe context and partnership opportunities
Between 2026 and 2027, Horizon Europe will allocate approximately €14 billion across European organizations to work on cross-national projects. Below, you can explore the Horizon Europe calls for the 2026–2027 programming period, organized by Cluster to reflect the Horizon Europe framework and to facilitate the identification of opportunities aligned with your project, sector, or strategic priorities.
By attending the 2nd Sustainable Value Creation Summit (19–28 January 2026, Nova SBE) and visiting each Cluster page (see links below), participants can access detailed information on relevant calls, objectives, and funding opportunities, while simultaneously working on concrete challenges using the Value Creation Wheel methodology.
Cluster Introduction – Horizon Europe National Contact Point
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Day 1 – Cluster 1: Health
Monday, 19 January 2026
Isabel Carvalho Oliveira — AICIB -
Day 3 – Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society
Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Ana Sutcliffe — ANI -
Day 6 – Cluster 4: Digital, Industry & Space
Monday, 26 January 2026
Afonso Duarte & Silvia Buriac — ANI -
Day 6 – Cluster 4: Digital, Industry & Space
Monday, 26 January 2026
Afonso Duarte & Silvia Buriac — ANI -
Day 7 – Cluster 5: Climate, Energy & Mobility
Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Juan Henriques — ANI -
Day 8 – Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment
Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Maria João Fernandes — ANI
Event Overview:
SVCS: 19/01/2026- Cluster 1- Health
SVCS: 20/01/2026- Cluster 2- Culture, Creativity & Inclusive Society
SVCS: 21/01/2026- Cluster 3- Civil Security for Society
SVCS: 22/01/2026- Education, Science & Innovation | All Clusters and All EU Missions
SVCS: 23/01/2026- Leaders and Executives from Organizations, Public Institutions & Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) | All EU Missions
SVCS: 26/01/2026- Cluster 4- Digital, Industry & Space
SVCS: 27/01/2026- Cluster 5- Climate, Energy & Mobility
SVCS: 28/01/2026- Cluster 6- Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment
Thematic days and clusters
Each day is dedicated to the following thematic priorities:
Cluster 1 – Health (Monday, 19 January 2026)
Topics include youth NCD prevention, life science trust, climate-health impacts, climate-resilient health systems, digital mental health risks, post-infection conditions, epidemic preparedness, chronic disease strategies, cardiovascular research, health system efficiency, and advanced therapies.
More info: https://www.valuecreationwheel.com/cluster-1-healthCluster 2 – Culture, Creativity & Inclusive Society (Tuesday, 20 January 2026)
Topics include democratic resilience, digital governance, cultural heritage, media viability, equality and rights, education and skills, talent and labour mobility, migration and inclusion, creative economy and AI, and global governance and human rights.
More info: https://www.valuecreationwheel.com/cluster-2-culture-creativity-inclusive-societyCluster 3 – Civil Security for Society (Wednesday, 21 January 2026)
Topics include multi-hazard resilience, climate security preparedness, search and rescue innovation, bioterrorism prevention, critical infrastructure protection, border security systems, cybersecurity and secure AI, crime and terrorism prevention, and societal and community resilience.
More info: https://www.valuecreationwheel.com/cluster-3-civil-security-for-societyEducation, Science & Innovation (Thursday, 22 January 2026)
This day will focus on aligning education, scientific research, and innovation to address complex societal and economic challenges, in line with Horizon Europe priorities. Discussions may cover skills for the digital and green transitions, the role of universities and research organisations in innovation ecosystems, research impact and knowledge transfer, the use of AI and digital tools, and new collaboration models linking academia, industry, public institutions, and society, with a focus on translating education and science into innovation, policy impact, and national and European funding opportunities, including Horizon Europe.
More info: https://www.valuecreationwheel.com/eu-missions-in-horizon-europeLeaders and Executives from Organizations, Public Institutions & Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) (Friday, 23 January 2026)
This day will focus on leadership and decision-making challenges in organizations and public institutions, and how these challenges can be translated into fundable projects at national and European levels, including Horizon Europe and Innovation Actions. Discussions may address aligning strategic priorities with funding frameworks, building effective partnerships and consortia, and designing innovation initiatives with clear impact, implementation capacity, and accountability for the use of public funds.
More info: https://www.valuecreationwheel.com/eu-missions-in-horizon-europeCluster 4 – Digital, Industry & Space (Monday, 26 January 2026)
Topics include space-based Earth observation, security-focused EO applications, autonomous and resilient satellite systems, AI-driven digital twins, trusted AI and data infrastructures, advanced manufacturing and robotics, circular and low-carbon industrial processes, quantum and post-quantum technologies, critical raw materials, and next-generation internet platforms.
More info: https://www.valuecreationwheel.com/cluster-4-digital-industry-spaceCluster 5 – Climate, Energy & Mobility (Tuesday, 27 January 2026)
Topics include climate action, energy transition, clean and smart mobility, resilient infrastructures, industrial decarbonization, advanced materials, digital and AI-enabled systems, and sustainable value chains.
More info: https://www.valuecreationwheel.com/cluster-5-climate-energy-mobilityCluster 6 – Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment (Friday, 28 January 2026)
Topics include ocean science and the blue economy, social sustainability and innovation in agriculture, digital and AI solutions for food systems, Earth observation and greenhouse-gas monitoring, rural competitiveness, climate-smart agriculture and forestry, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration, circular bioeconomy, pollution reduction, and bio-based innovation.
More info: https://www.valuecreationwheel.com/cluster-6-food-bioeconomy-natural-resources-agriculture-environment
Build Horizon Europe-ready consortia using the VCW Funnel, myVCW AI, and targeted matchmaking.
Horizon Europe offers €95B in funding until 2027. This summit prioritises participants with a clear role or ambition in Horizon Europe proposals.
Join our Network of Innovators
2026 marks a special milestone for the Value Creation Wheel (VCW): one decade since VCW publication in the Journal of Business Research. Drawing on two decades of managerial and research insights behind its 2016 publication, and refined over the past decade, the VCW has evolved into a well-established, practical, and internationally applied decision-making framework used across sectors and challenges to address complexity and uncertainty.
To celebrate this milestone - and to look decisively toward the future - the VCW Lab at Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE) is hosting the 2nd Sustainable Value Creation Summit (2SVCS), a hands-on, multi-day event dedicated to solving complex organizational and societal challenges.
Across the Summit, participants will work on challenges such as:
How to develop sustainable and resilient strategies
How to access national and European funding
How to identify, assess, and select the right partners
How to be GloCal: succeed locally while benefiting from economies of scale
How to align diverse internal and external stakeholders
How to balance tech-push with market-pull dynamics
And other complex, cross-sector challenges
Building on more than a decade of experience in EU-funded projects, the VCW Lab @ Nova SBE welcomes engagement with national and international partners interested in exploring partnerships and upcoming calls across the six Horizon Europe Clusters. The VCW Lab @ Nova SBE is open to collaborating with organizations that see clear complementarities and value in joint proposal development.
To learn how the VCW Lab can add value to your consortium, please visit: https://www.valuecreationwheel.com/vcw-4-partnerships
Participation in this event does not imply any obligation to partner with the VCW Lab @ Nova SBE. Partnerships are guided by the principle of mutual added value, where each partner contributes distinct capabilities and resources that can be clearly and transparently justified in a realistic, relational, and responsible (3Rs) way within the context of each specific consortium.
