Juan Manuel Revuelta

Degree in Business Law from the University of Valencia in 1992 and Master in Tourism Management from IE Business School in 2003. He also completed the IESE Public Management Leadership Programme.

He was President of the European Regions Research and Innovation Network (ERRIN) between 2009 and 2011 and since 2010 he has been CEO of the Finnova Foundation (financing innovation in the regions). Finnova represents and defends legitimate public and private interests related to funding and innovation before the EU: ECORAEE'S Foundation www.eco-raee.com

He created the first Department of Innovation in the City Council of Valencia, achieving the positioning of the city of Valencia as a leader in Europe in the LIFE Environment in Circular Economy programmes.

He was Director General of the Valencian Government in Brussels for 8 years. He positioned the region as a leader in the LIFE and Eco-innovation programmes (among 300 regions). During this period he managed to get the headquarters for the whole of Spain of CLIMATE KIC (EIT) in Valencia and also the ENI antenna (European Neighbourhood Instrument, which finances cooperation in the Mediterranean).

He has extensive experience in European projects in the field of sustainability and tourism: LIFE+ programmes, energy, eco-innovation, Horizon 2020, among others. He has participated in more than 40 successful projects and in The Five Best of the Best LIFE Projects. Examples: LIFE Ecobus, Eco-Animation My friend Boo, Waste to energy, Tech Projects, Horizon 2020 Nobel Grid (14M €). The Voices of LIFE, 20 years of getting things done. The Interreg Tourisme project (27.5M €) also deserves special mention.

Finnova currently manages the NAPOCTEP. The aim of the NAPOCTEP project is to promote the cultural heritage of the Napoleonic period, through the creation of Napoleonic routes in an area that includes the central region of Portugal and the western Castilian-Leonese provinces, generating an innovative and attractive tourist product that generates economic activity and employment.

Among the main projects developed, the following stand out:

- Creator of the Tourism StartUp Europe Awards (SEUA), a DG CONNECT methodology of the European Commission implemented by the Finnova Foundation that has been institutionally supported by the European Parliament, the European Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee since 2016. // Accelerathon process: Open innovation tool to promote public-private partnerships to contribute to the UN SDGs through innovation, with the help of EU Next Generation funds (€750 billion).

- Advisor in the European Parliament (RELEX Committee and Regional Development Committee).

- Founding partner of Eurovias and entrepreneur of the digital newspaper www.aquieuropa.com

- European Union advisor to the Port of Valencia for the creation of ValenciaInnova between 1999 and 2003 (in 2002 leading city in Europe in terms of EU Innovation funds).

- Committed to training on European funds, Finnova has digitalised a series of courses on how to manage European funds, as well as organised various webinars and training events on Next Generation EU. Example: Next Generation European Fund - Canarias.