The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is an EU body established in Budapest in 2008. Its overall mission is to boost economic growth and job creation by improving the EU’s innovation capacity and fostering cooperation. It supports the development of dynamic, pan-European partnerships between leading companies, research laboratories and educational institutions.
These partnerships are called Knowledge & Innovation Communities (KICs). Each KIC focuses on finding solutions to a specific global challenge, ranging from climate change and sustainable energy, to health and nutrition.
The activities of the KICs cover all facets of innovation: training and education programs, support for market introduction, innovation-driven research, and acceleration schemes for start-ups. Through calls issued by the EIT KICs, projects are funded in the following areas:
- Innovation - strengthening sustainable innovation ecosystems across Europe
- Business Creation & Acceleration - bringing new solutions to global societal challenges to the market
- Education - fostering the development of entrepreneurial and innovation skills in a lifelong learning perspective and support the entrepreneurial transformation of EU universities.
There are currently eight EIT KICs in operation, each focused on a specific domain:
1. EIT Climate
2. EIT Digital
3. EIT Food
4. EIT Health
5. EIT InnoEnergy
6. EIT Manufacturing
7. EIT RawMaterials
8. EIT Urban Mobility
Two more KICs are expected to be launched:
9. EIT Culture and Creativity (2022-2023)
10. EIT Water, Marine, Maritime Sectors and Ecosystems (2026)
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