Validated Expert info
Expert can perform the Lead expert role and Ad hoc expertise missions at network and programme level in relation to:
1. The design and delivery of (transnational) exchange and learning activities
2. Thematic expertise:
> Digital transformation
3. Methods and tools for integrated and participatory approaches:
> Securing funding and resourcing
Summary
Yves Zieba is a URBACT Lead Expert validated since November 2025.
💡 Expertise and Skills
Yves Zieba's expertise spans several critical domains vital for successful urban and business development:
Transnational Exchange and Learning Activities
Yves Zieba demonstrates substantial experience and skills in the design and delivery of (transnational) exchange and learning activities.
Facilitation and Coaching: He is an experienced Motivator, Coach, and teacher, providing coaching and mentoring to entrepreneurs and startups, including as a business coach for the EISMEA EIC accelerator and an evaluator for the EIT Food acceleration network.
Educational Development: He has taught in Executive MBA, Master, and Bachelor programs at institutions such as HEG, the University of Geneva, and the EPFL Innovation Park.
Creating Learning Materials: His specific skills include creating clear and concise presentations and pedagogical support materials and developing exercises and participatory activities.
Network Building: He is involved in creating a global innovation network to connect businesses, startups, and social enterprises committed to sustainability, aiming to facilitate access to knowledge.
Thematic Expertise
His thematic expertise is concentrated on cutting-edge digital technologies:
Artificial Intelligence (AI): His work heavily involves AI and GenAI use cases, including narrow AI, LLM, neural networks, training and finetuning models.
He promotes the use of Predictive AI and its application in fields like HR, Finance, and Marketing for enhanced decision-making and automation. He also emphasizes Responsible AI and its ethical implications. Digital Transformation: He engages in training and facilitation for digital transformation, covering topics like Blockchain, IoT, IIoT, RPA, Wearables, 3D/2D, AI-led Buildings, Homes & Cities, Smart Living, and sustainable IT.
He focuses on integrating technology responsibly for both business value and environmental stewardship. High-Performance Computing (HPC) & Quantum Computing: His expertise includes working with Quantum Computing and the optimization of IT operations, such as data center optimization for energy efficiency, which is critical for HPC infrastructure.
Cybersecurity: While not explicitly detailed as a primary focus, his emphasis on ethical responsibility, protecting user trust, and the need to prepare for instability (including cyber threats) within his strategic roadmaps and writings on responsible digital adoption, suggests an understanding of the critical role of cybersecurity in the digital transformation landscape.
Methods and Tools for Integrated and Participatory Approaches: Securing Funding and Resourcing
Yves Zieba possesses a profound knowledge of methodologies for holistic and inclusive development, with a key focus on resourcing:
Integrated Approaches: He specializes in strategic agility, business model innovation (including Sustainable, Open, and Circular Models), and value proposition design.
His work emphasizes integrating sustainability into the DNA of businesses and achieving a balance between technological advancement and environmental stewardship (Sustainable IT). Participatory Tools and Collaboration: He is skilled in methodologies such as effectuation, design thinking, and systemic thinking. He advocates for a collaborative mindset and the integration of AI directly into problem-solving workflows.
His co-authoring of work on open data, open manufacturing, and open science highlights his commitment to open, accessible, and community-based knowledge systems. Securing Funding and Resourcing: He has extensive experience in the funding ecosystem:
Coaching/Mentoring for Funding: He serves as a certified coach for Blue Economy companies (BlueInvest) and an evaluator for both the EIC accelerator and EIT Food, directly supporting ventures in securing funding.
Business Models for Sustainability: He focuses on creating viable business models, including those that blend social mission with practical application, which is key for sustained resourcing.
Facilitating Access to Resources: His vision includes creating a network to facilitate access to resources, funding, and knowledge for companies working on groundbreaking solutions.