Cross-KIC Strategic Regional Innovations Cluster

As the Strategic Innovation Agenda (SIA) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) 2021-2027 sets out, the EIT, primarily through its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) and by expanding its Regional Innovation Scheme, should aim to strengthen innovation ecosystems that tackle global challenges.

Cross-KIC Strategic Regional Innovations is a horizontal project fulfilling the above requirements by providing a platform for the KICs to share best-practices and KIC initiatives and identify joint activities within those Emerging European regions that are labelled as modest and moderate innovators, specifically EIT RIS regions and countries and the Western-Balkans.

Objective: Maximise the EIT Community’s impact in the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme area as well as other priority countries and regions

Work Packages

Proposed activities under the Work Packages address a need emerging from the local innovation ecosystem and validated by a group of experts:

1. EIT Jumpstarter and EIT Post-Jumpstarter (EIT Jumpstarter Next from 2025) – addresses the need to support entrepreneurial education and boosting entrepreneurship in our region.

2. Western-Balkans – addresses the need for a closer business-academia collaboration

3. Ukraine – addresses the needs of Upskilling/Reskilling talents into entrepreneurs and providing access to European opportunities locally to decrease brain-drain

4. Cross-KIC Hub Collaboration- addresses the need for closer collaboration of the RIS Hubs within the same country and increase the visibility of the EIT Community

5. Communication and Management – addresses the need for effective management of the project

Work Packages of the project are interconnected with each other to ensure strategic alignment and de-siloing of the activities proposed.