The European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) is an independent EU body established in 2008. It increases Europe’s ability to innovate by nurturing entrepreneurial talent and supporting new ideas. EIT helps businesses, education and research bodies work together to create an environment conducive for innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe.

The EIT’s mission is to contribute to sustainable European economic growth and competitiveness by reinforcing the innovation capacity of the Member States and the EU to address major challenges faced by societies. EIT model of innovation-driven knowledge triangle integrates the 3 key players – education, business and research – to form dynamic, multi-country partnerships, known as Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), which:

• train a new generation of entrepreneurs;
• develop innovative products & services;
• start new companies.

Integration to and synergies with Horizon Europe Programme

During the programming period 2021-2027, the EIT contributes to the overall achievement of Horizon Europe’s scientific, economic/technological and societal impacts. It continues to strengthen innovation ecosystems that help to tackle global challenges, by fostering the integration of the knowledge triangle in the areas of activity of the EIT KICs.

The EIT ensures stronger synergies with programmes and initiatives in the Excellent Science Pillar, to accelerate the transfer of knowledge resulting from blue sky research into concrete applications benefiting the society. In particular, with regard to the Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), the EIT collaborates on the development of innovation and entrepreneurial skills of MSCA fellows.

The EIT contributes to the Global Challenges and Industrial Competitiveness Pillar and complements relevant activities to tackle global challenges and increase the competitiveness of the EU on a global scale. In particular, through its KICs, the EIT seeks to contribute to relevant missions and thematic clusters and other European Partnerships by notably supporting demand-side measures and providing exploitation services to boost technology transfer and accelerate the commercialisation of results achieved.

The EIT plays an important role in the Innovative Europe Pillar. Strong synergies between the EIT and the European Innovation Council (EIC) is a key for the impact of this pillar. Based on a structured cooperation agreement, the EIT and the EIC run complementary activities aiming at streamlining the support provided to innovative ventures.

The EIT ensures coherence with the European Innovation Ecosystems strand of Horizon Europe and explores opportunities for synergies with the Sharing Excellence part of the programme. Furthermore, the EIT will exploit synergies with other EU programmes supporting human capital development and innovation (e.g. ESF+, ERDF, Erasmus, including the European Universities Initiative, and the MSCA). The EIT’s initiative to enhance innovation and entrepreneurship capacity at Higher Education Institutions is a key driver in this respect.

EIT offers three types of funding and calls:

• EIT Call for new KIC – the call focuses on world challenges as defined in EIT Strategic Innovation Agenda. This type of calls is open to consortiums and seeks the nomination of a KIC for up to 15 years. This call is designed to select and manage a new KIC.
• EIT Call for Grant is open exclusively to existing KIC. It aims to distribute financing to different KIC on the basis of multi-annual business plan presented to the EIT in advance.
• EIT KIC Opportunities are managed by KIC based on multi-annual business plan. These opportunities can take different forms of activities (education) or projects – around three axes (1) Education, (2) Innovation and (3) Entrepreneurship.

Funding opportunities:
https://eit.europa.eu/our-activities/opportunities

Calls for EIT Communities:
https://eit.europa.eu/opportunities/call-eit-knowledge-and-innovation-communities

EIT Digital

Launched in 2010, EIT Digital set out on a journey of growth. EIT Digital matured against the background of a fast-accelerating digital world and a growing focus on entrepreneurship in Europe. Complementing the strong European research base, this entrepreneurial mindset strengthens Europe’s position in a digital world driven by data, platforms, and the network economy.

EIT Digital is designed to support the development of breakthrough ideas and facilitate their placing on the market by providing a place for students, entrepreneurs, SMEs, start-ups and business actors to meet, exchange ideas and turn them into marketable innovations.

EIT Digital invests in strategic areas to accelerate the market uptake and scaling of research-based digital technologies (deep tech) focusing on Europe’s key societal challenges: Digital Tech, Digital Cities, Digital Industry, Digital Wellbeing, and Digital Finance etc.

EIT Digital can help to:

• learn all about new digital technologies and where innovation is needed;
• develop the skills and business acumen you need to confidently launch your digital venture;
• find investors and businesses willing to advise you and support your endeavours;
• get the support you need to get your new company off the ground in Europe;
• develop a tech sector network that will last a lifetime.

Funding opportunities:
https://www.eitdigital.eu/our-messages/calls-tenders/

EIT Climate

The EIT Climate contributes to the European Commission’s priorities on Energy Union and Climate Action. The EIT stimulates climate change entrepreneurship among students and professionals through education activities that seek to foster the development of innovation conducive to sustainable development. EIT Climate identifies and supports innovation that helps society mitigate and adapt to climate change.

EIT Climate’s role:

• brings together partners in the worlds of business, academia, and the public and non-profit sectors to create networks of expertise, through which innovative products, services and systems can be developed, brought to market and scaled-up for impact;
• runs a range of inspirational education programmes across Europe and online, for students, postgraduates and professionals. These programmes develop their participants’ skills and capacities, empowering them with up-to-date knowledge and best practice;
• catalyses and nurtures innovation, whatever its source: from large corporations, research institutes and public bodies, through to start-ups and individual entrepreneurs. EIT encourages fresh new thinking from beyond the mainstream through initiatives like our 24-hour hackathon Climathon, or cleantech ideas platform Climate Launchpad, or incubator programme, or Accelerator giving seed funding, structure and assistance to start-ups and SMEs.

EIT Climate-KIC can help to:

• learn more about climate and where innovation is needed;
• develop the skills and business acumen you need to become a confident climate actor;
• find investors and businesses willing to advise you and support your endeavours;
• get the support you need to get your new company off the ground in Europe;
• develop a network of climate actors that will last a lifetime.

Funding opportunities:
https://www.climate-kic.org/programmes/entrepreneurship/

EIT InnoEnergy

Established in 2010 and supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), it has offices and hubs across Europe and in Boston, US.

EIT InnoEnergy is a Knowledge and Innovation Community that becomes the world’s largest sustainable energy innovation ecosystem. It is taking the lead on vital pieces of the renewable energy lifecycle from photovoltaic solar panels to more efficient batteries.

EIT InnoEnergy’s strategy to achieve sustainability entails reducing the cost of energy in the value chain, increasing energy security and reducing CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions. This benefits citizens directly by encouraging the supply of cheap, secure and sustainable energy.

EIT InnoEnergy seeks to:

• support to accelerate sustainable energy innovation, knows no borders or boundaries;
• link industry with innovation and alumni, providing commercially attractive technologies spanning the energy value chain, and top talent to enhance innovation;
• provide tailor-made support Start-ups, scale-ups, and innovators to boost and de-risk business cases and speed up time to market;
• offer an access of students and learners to master’s programmes at 16 top technical universities and business schools;
• equip the global workforce with the skills required to create a sustainable economy through the access to more than 35 courses provided in 10 languages.

EIT InnoEnergy can help to:

• learn all about sources of clean energy and the workings of energy systems;
• develop the skills and business acumen you need to confidently try new solutions and launch your venture;
• find investors and businesses willing to advise you and support your endeavours;
• get the support you need to get your new company off the ground in Europe;
• develop a network in the clean energy sector that will last a lifetime.

EIT Raw Materials

EIT RawMaterials is a key European actor established in 2015 to advance Europe’s transition into a sustainable economy. EIT RawMaterials mandate is to support securing the supply of critical raw materials to the European industry by driving innovation along the raw materials value chain. EIT RawMaterials builds on the world’s largest network of partners in raw materials and advanced materials.

EIT RawMaterials mission is to develop raw materials into a major strength for Europe by boosting competitiveness, growth and attractiveness of the European raw materials sector via radical innovation, new education approaches and guided entrepreneurship.

EIT RawMaterials aims at:

• providing a collaborative environment for disruptive and breakthrough innovations by connecting more than 300 partners from industry, academia, research, and investment;
• investing in the future generation of innovators for the raw materials sector through initiatives ranging from the education of school students to higher qualifications for industry professionals;
• supporting Europe’s transition towards a circular, green, and digital economy whilst strengthening its global competitiveness and securing employment.

On this foundation, the European Commission has mandated EIT RawMaterials  to lead and manage the European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA). The European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA) aims to make Europe economically more resilient by diversifying its supply chains, creating jobs, attracting investments to the raw materials value chain, fostering innovation, training young talents and contributing to the best enabling framework for raw materials and the Circular Economy worldwide.

Funding opportunities:
https://eitrawmaterials.eu/category/opportunities/

EIT Food

EIT Food aims to develop a highly skilled food sector, which collaborates with consumers to provide products, services and new technologies, which deliver a healthier lifestyle for all European citizens, thereby contributing to the EU’s Food 2030 strategy as well.

Collaboration is central to all EIT Food work, which spans the whole food value chain, and is vital to meet the big challenges we face. Together with the community, EIT Food will build an innovative and resilient food system that in turn creates a healthier society and planet.

EIT Food can help to:

• access a network of Europe’s leading agrifood businesses, start-ups, universities, and research organisations;
• learn about the agrifood sector through online courses, education programmes, and professional development opportunities;
• take your ideas from concept to market so you can launch innovative products, ingredients, and solutions;
• engage in a dialogue with the food industry and co-create the future food system through access to our innovative events, digital platforms, and public engagement activities;
• benefit from expert mentoring, tailor-made entrepreneurship programmes, and easy-to-access funding to enable you to launch, accelerate, and scale your agrifood business.

Funding opportunities:
https://www.eitfood.eu/open-calls

EIT Manufacturing

EIT Manufacturing is a public-private partnership, co-funded by the European Union and established in 2019. EIT Manufacturing is one of the nine Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC) supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The purpose is to improve people’s lives through sustainable manufacturing. The mission is to connect manufacturing players by promoting talent and entrepreneurship to accelerate sustainable innovation in Europe.

EIT Manufacturing brings together a growing network of top-tier industrial partners, leading academic and research institutions from across the region and innovative startups, scaleups and SMEs.

EIT Manufacturing can help to:

• learn all about new industry skills and where innovation is most needed;
• develop the skills and business acumen you need to confidently launch your venture;
• find investors and businesses willing to advise you and support your endeavours;
• get the support you need to get your new company off the ground in Europe;
• develop a network in across the manufacturing sector that will last a lifetime.

Funding opportunities:
https://www.eitmanufacturing.eu/calls/

EIT Urban Mobility

EIT Urban Mobility is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). Since January 2019 we have been working to encourage positive changes in the way people move around cities in order to make them more liveable places. Its aim is to become the largest European initiative transforming urban mobility. Co-funding of up to € 400 million (2020-2026) from the EIT, a body of the European Union, will help make this happen.

Urban mobility is always under pressure. Future challenges ahead include growing urban populations, how to build and maintain infrastructure, the economic and environmental costs of congestion, demands for greater accessibility and safety, and the question of how to improve air quality. Based on a thorough analysis, EIT Urban Mobility will address societal and urban mobility challenges.

EIT Urban Mobility can help to:

• learn all about the current mobility challenges faced by European cities and how they could be overcome;
• develop the skills and business acumen people may need to confidently launch  projects;
• find investors and businesses willing to advise and support your endeavours;
• get the support people may need to get new company off the ground in Europe;
• develop a network in urban transportation sector that will last a lifetime.

Funding opportunities:
https://www.eiturbanmobility.eu/category/calls-for-proposals/

EIT Cultural and Creative Industries

EIT Culture & Creativity aims to fundamentally change the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI) bringing new understandings of competitiveness, sustainable economic growth coupled with positive social and environmental impacts.

EIT Culture & Creativity aims to radically transform CCSI value networks and ecosystems to ensure they are at the same time competitive, innovative, financially sustainable, while meeting the ambitious targets of climate neutrality and high standards for social responsibility. This includes providing fair and decent working conditions for creatives and cultural workers, while guaranteeing diversity and inclusion.

EIT Culture & Creativity can help to:

• learn all about how to be more tech-savvy and multidisciplinary as a creative along with how people can contribute to a more sustainable society;
• develop business acumen and innovation skills in experimental spaces, giving the confidence to launch creative projects;
• find investors and businesses willing to advise and support your endeavours;
• get the support people may need to get a new company off the ground in Europe;
• develop a network in the culture and creativity sector that will last a lifetime.

Funding opportunities:
https://eit-culture-creativity.eu/calls-funding/

EIT Health

EIT Health was established in 2015, as a ‘Knowledge and Innovation Community’ (KIC) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The EIT is made up of various KICs who each focus on a different sector, or area, of innovation – in this case, that is health and ageing.

The idea behind the EIT KICs is that innovation flourishes best when the right people are brought together to share expertise. The so-called ‘knowledge triangle’, is the principle that when experts from business, research and education work together as one, an optimal environment for innovation is created.

EIT Health has set out to cure some of the most important ills afflicting our healthcare. As a Knowledge and Innovation Community, its innovation model is designed to meet the challenges of the moment from more accurate diagnoses of cancer to effective treatments for chronic pain. It’s building nothing less than a Europe-wide system of innovation putting the patient at the centre of attention.

EIT Health can help to:

• learn all about challenges in the healthcare system and where innovation can help;
• develop the skills and business acumen people may need to confidently test and launch health innovation;
• find investors and businesses willing to advise and support your endeavours;
• get the support people may need to get a new company off the ground in Europe;
• develop a network in the healthcare sector that will last a lifetime/

Funding opportunities:
https://eithealth.eu/get-involved/events-and-opportunities/