Unleashing Europe’s innovation potential is the fundamental goal of this telecommunication engineer who, since 2011, has been director of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. Leceta works closely with knowledge and innovation communities (KICs) to ensure that European innovation makes a real impact on the economy, on the creation of new businesses and on business education. Recognised for his work to promote Spanish participation in European and international R&D programmes, he was the international director of the Centre for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI), after spending part of his professional career at the European Space Agency.