Xavier Baillard is a graduate from Ecole Polytechnique (2004) in Paris, and holds a PhD in Quantum Physics (Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 2008). He started his career as a patent examiner at the European Patent Office, before joining the French Embassy in China for 4 years as Innovation Attaché, where he was responsible of cooperation programmes between the two country. He then spent 6 years in Valeo, a French automotive parts supplier, as Open Innovation Director in the HQ and then as Innovation Director of the largest of the 4 business groups of the company. He has joined EIT Manufacturing in February 2022 as Innovation Director, and is now Innovation-to-Market Director, responsible for the innovation funding strategy, as well as the development of new programmes and commercial services to support European innovators bring their solutions to the market.