Innovation, Technology and Public Policy Executive, Founder of the Humane Technology and Innovation Transfer Framework
Szabolcs Szolnoki is an innovation, technology, and public policy executive with more than 15 years of leadership and international experience across government, diplomacy, academia, and industry. His work focuses on developing innovation ecosystems, technology transfer and commercialization of R&D, and advancing responsible, human-centered approaches to technological development. He is the founder of the Humane Technology and Innovation Transfer Framework (HTITF), an initiative advancing responsible technology transfer and human-centered innovation. He is also a board member of Hungary’s Artificial Intelligence Coalition and an advisor to the SME-focused AI education platform of the Foundation for Information Society, supporting the responsible and practical adoption of artificial intelligence. From 2023 to 2026, Szolnoki served as Deputy State Secretary for Technology, Space and Defense Industry at Hungary’s Ministry for National Economy, where he led national initiatives aimed at strengthening technological innovation and industrial competitiveness. In this role, he represented Hungary at the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), the European Artificial Intelligence Board, and the ICANN Governmental Advisory Committee. Previously, he served as Science and Technology Diplomat at the Embassy of Hungary in Tel Aviv, Deputy CEO of Express Innovation Agency and EAC Group, and Chief Innovation Advisor at Neumann János University. Throughout his career, he has contributed to the development of innovation ecosystems, international technology-transfer programmes, and strategic partnerships across artificial intelligence, space, cybersecurity, and deep technology, with a particular focus on strengthening innovation links between the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Western Balkans. He holds a BA in International Relations and an MA in Social Policy and pursued doctoral studies in Geopolitics and Geoeconomics. He has also completed professional training in technology transfer through Yissum, the Technology Transfer Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM).