Innovative Europe

EIC is Europe’s flagship innovation programme to identify, develop and scale-up breakthrough technologies and game changing innovations. The EIC supports start-ups, SMEs and research teams developing high-risk, high-impact breakthrough innovations, with a particular focus on scaling up game-changing solutions that contribute to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Recovery plan for Europe.

EIC is tailored to the different needs of innovators, whether they are in the early stages of research, exploring a business idea or working to commercialise a solution:
* EIC Pathfinder – for radically new technologies emerging from excellent research
* EIC Transition – for bringing research results to innovation potential
* EIC Accelerator – for development and scaling up of high-risk innovations by start-ups and SMEs, including with blended finance support (UK grant only)
* EIC Business Acceleration Services – for tailor made coaching, mentoring and matching for all EIC supported companies and projects.

Find out about EIC funding opportunities.

NEW Space Call Topic published: Strengthening the sustainability and resilience of EU space infrastructure. Budget: approximately 6 projects, up to €4 Million each. Deadline: 16th October 2024.

EVENT Notification: EIC Pathfinder Space Briefing, 18 January 2024, 12 – 12:45pm. Claire Griffin, UK NCP for EIC will provide information on the EIC Pathfinder programme and introduce the 2024 space topic and next steps. No registration needed. Joining link here.

EIC Prizes

EIC Forum

EIE will act to complement and in synergy with the EIC and EIT; and innovate activities across Horizon Europe and other EU Funding programmes to improve the overall ecosystem for innovation in Europe. EIE focuses on building an interconnected, inclusive innovation ecosystem that encompasses European, national, regional and local initiatives as well as under-represented actors and territories, while also reinforcing the ecosystems’ innovation capacity.  EIE initiative focuses on:

• Launching EIC forum encompassing public authorities from Member States and Associated Countries 
• Promoting and co-funding joint innovation programmes managed by national authorities targeting collaborative research, technology and knowledge transfer, internationalisation and digitalisation strategies, open innovation and market deployment of technologies by Innovative SMEs. Such as through EUREKA
• Elevating the scalability potential of business by improving the flows of knowledge, talent and capital within and between innovation ecosystems while ensuring inclusiveness and gender equality
• Support joint programme for mentoring, coaching, technical assistance and other services for innovators, in cooperation with local European and international partners.
• Fostering innovation procurement initiatives with the aim of increasing the use of public procurement of innovation and spur the development of new policy, with the end goal of providing market opportunities to European Innovators. 

EUREKA is an open platform for international cooperation in innovation, companies and other organisations applying through Eureka programmes can access funding and support from their respective national innovation agencies for their international R&D projects to foster competitiveness and market integration and to encourage R&D cooperation. EUREKA are the world’s biggest public network for international cooperation in R&D and innovation, present in over 45 countries. Read more: https://www.eurekanetwork.org/about-us/national-funding-bodies/

EUREKA supports international industry-led R&D through different programmes offering flexibility for international partners (EUREKA-Globalstars), encouraging mixed consortia with large companies (EUREKA-Clusters), supporting SMEs to create innovative products for commercialisation (EUREKA-Eurostars), encouraging research and business ventures in new markets (EUREKA-Innowwide)

EUREKA Eurostars

Eurostars is Eureka’s flagship SME funding programme that supports R&D-performing SMEs (alongside other types of organisations) leading international project consortia.
Read More: https://www.eurekanetwork.org/countries/united-kingdom/eurostars/

EUREKA Clusters

Clusters are long-term, strategically significant industrial initiatives that aim to meet market needs and solve economic, technological and societal challenges. They are industry-led international communities focused on strategic technology areas:

• next-generation communications: CELTI-NEXT https://www.celticnext.eu/
• low-carbon energy: EUROGIA https://eurogia.eu/
• software innovation: ITEA https://itea4.org/
• advanced manufacturing & production: SMART https://www.smarteureka.com/
• electronic components and systems: XECS https://eureka-xecs.com/

Read More: https://www.eurekanetwork.org/countries/united-kingdom/clusters/

EUREKA Globalstars

Globalstars is a funding programme with calls for projects (sometimes thematic) with countries outside of the EUREKA network. Calls for projects are launched between Eureka countries and one non-Eureka country. Read More: https://www.eurekanetwork.org/countries/united-kingdom/globalstars/

EUREKA Innowwide

Innowwide is funded by the European Union as part of the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs. Innowwide funds market research and preparatory work (Viability Assessment Projects “VAPs”) for R&D projects in Africa, North and South America, Asia or Oceania. These projects must involve cooperation with local partners, creating the conditions to increase the uptake of European innovative solutions in markets outside Europe. Read More: https://www.eurekanetwork.org/programmes/innowwide/

For more information and support please contact eurekanpc@iuk.ukri.org or visit EUREKA and the United Kingdom

EIT delivers cutting-edge solutions, entrepreneurial talent and the supporting environment for innovation to thrive. With its multi-disciplinary network, the EIT provides opportunities for student, innovators, and entrepreneurs across Europe: Entrepreneurial education course, innovation driven research project, business creation and incubation services. 

The EIT boosts innovation by increasing the collaboration between business, education and research organisation, public authorities and civil society. TO achieve this EIT Supports the development of pan-European partnerships with EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). Each community delivers solutions to a pressing global challenge.

Key focus:

• Strengthening sustainable innovation ecosystems across Europe
• Fostering the development of entrepreneurial and innovation skills in a lifelong learning perspective and support the entrepreneurial transformation of EU universities
• Bringing new solutions to global societal challenges to the market

EIT is an independent EU body. It increases Europe’s ability to innovate by nurturing entrepreneurial talent and supporting new ideas. The EIT strengthens Europe’s innovation ability by powering solutions to pressing global challenges and by nurturing entrepreneurial talent.

To date, the EIT HAS established eight KICs tacking the following areas:

• Climate Change – EIT Climate-KIC | European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) (europa.eu)
• Digital transformation – EIT Digital | European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) (europa.eu)
• Energy – EIT InnoEnergy | European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) (europa.eu)
• Food – EIT Food | European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) (europa.eu)
• Health – EIT Health | European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) (europa.eu)
• Raw Materials – EIT RawMaterials | European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) (europa.eu)
• Urban Mobility – EIT Urban Mobility | European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) (europa.eu)
• Advance Manufacturing – EIT Manufacturing | European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) (europa.eu)

In addition to nurturing entrepreneurial talent and supporting new ideas, the EIT Will also contribute to achieving the 4 key strategic orientations in the Horizon Europe Strategic plan.