New calls open to boost the European Innovation Ecosystem: 12 million euros available

Calls for projects worth €12 million in terms of available budget will contribute to a more sustainable, robust and integrated European innovation ecosystem. In addition, the projects will support the scaling up of companies and ideas while stimulating innovation across ecosystems to address major challenges.

The EIE SCALEUP call

The SCALEUP target actions focus on strengthening network connectivity within and between innovation ecosystems in order to help European companies to better sustain their growth and gain new competitive advantages.

Therefore, an EIE SCALEUP call with a total budget of EUR 5 million is open for submission until 10 May 2022 at 17:00 CET:

HORIZON-EIE-2022-SCALEUP-01-01 : Expanding Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
This action aims to support co-designed programmes of activities, of at least two years of study, jointly proposed by educational institutions from 'modest' and 'moderate' innovation ecosystems and private sector innovation hubs ('strong innovators' and 'innovation leaders' - see Regional Innovation Scoreboard (RIS), European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS), Global Innovation Index (GII)). Proposals should value the high levels of technical and entrepreneurial skills of young people in the development of innovation ecosystems with practical knowledge and experiences in business management and the process of international expansion.

The so-called CONNECT EIEs

Overall, the CONNECT destination contributes to interconnected, inclusive and more efficient innovation ecosystems across Europe. It builds on the existing strengths of European, national, regional and local ecosystems and attracts new, under-represented and less advanced actors in innovation territories, to establish, undertake and achieve collective ambitions in the face of challenges for the benefit of society. including ecological, digital and societal transitions.

Two EIE CONNECT calls with a total budget of EUR 7 million are open for submission until 26 April 2022:

HORIZON-EIE-2022-CONNECT-01-01 : Towards more inclusive networks and initiatives in European innovation ecosystems (budget: EUR 4 million).
The theme aims to increase Europe's efficiency and innovation capacity by supporting projects that broaden cooperation and widen the participation of more diverse stakeholders and innovation territories in existing and successful innovation initiatives and networks that support the deployment of innovation and key stakeholders (including SMEs and start-ups) in Member States, Partner Countries, at national, regional and/or local level.

HORIZON-EIE-2022-CONNECT-01-02 : Integration of social innovation actors in innovation ecosystems (budget: EUR 3 million)
These actions will raise awareness and facilitate the access of social entrepreneurs to the resources of pan-European, national, regional and local innovation ecosystems. In addition, the action aims to have a lasting spill-over effect by drawing attention to the benefits of social innovation projects for society as a whole and to the Commission's strategic priorities and objectives in particular.

Fund

As part of Horizon Europe , the EU aims to create more connected, efficient and fair innovation ecosystems to support business growth, foster innovation and stimulate cooperation between national, regional and local innovation actors.

Innovation ecosystems bring together people or organisations whose purpose is innovation and include the links between resources (such as funds, equipment and facilities), organisations (such as higher education institutions, research and technology organisations, companies, venture capitalists and financial intermediaries), investors and policy makers.

The actions supported by the first European Innovation Ecosystem Work Programme complement actions carried out by the European Innovation Council and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), activities in Horizon Europe, initiatives at national, regional and local level, as well as private and third sector initiatives.