EIT Governing Board approves €978 million to strengthen innovation and skills across Europe
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), the EU’s largest innovation ecosystem, has approved a record €978 million package to support innovation, entrepreneurship and skills development across Europe between 2026 and 2028.
As part of Horizon Europe, the EIT integrates business, education and research through its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), which address challenges ranging from climate change and sustainable energy to health, digitalisation and food systems. Through these partnerships, the EIT provides entrepreneurial education, business creation and acceleration services, and innovation-driven projects designed to create jobs, foster growth and strengthen Europe’s global competitiveness.
The new funding round is the largest in the EIT’s history and will channel resources into six KICs, cross-KIC activities, and the EIT Higher Education Initiative. The allocations reflect both performance and alignment with EU priorities such as the Union of Skills and the Clean Industrial Deal, while also supporting the Startup and Scaleup Strategy.
The allocations for 2026–2028 are as follows:
- EIT Health: €67.3 million
- EIT Raw Materials: €74.8 million
- EIT Food: €125.3 million
- EIT Urban Mobility: €206.9 million
- EIT Manufacturing: €163.2 million
- EIT Culture & Creativity: €131.6 million
An additional €79.3 million will fund cross-KIC activities, bringing together financially autonomous KICs such as EIT Climate-KIC, EIT Digital and EIT InnoEnergy. These joint efforts aim to maximise European impact in areas such as AI, women’s entrepreneurship, STEM skills, business creation and international cooperation.
The package also includes €130 million for the EIT Higher Education Initiative. Since its launch, this programme has involved more than 600 universities and supported thousands of students, researchers and staff in building entrepreneurial capacity. It complements Erasmus and supports the EU’s STEM education plan, with the goal of equipping European universities to become stronger innovation engines.
Stefan Dobrev, Chair of the EIT Governing Board, said: “As a board, we are confident this decision steers resources to the best-performing innovation ecosystems that effectively integrate the triangle of research, industry and entrepreneurship. It is a substantial catalyst for the engagement of the public and private sector to deploy the skills, technology and businesses we urgently need for a competitive Europe, able to defend its prosperity and its values.”
By linking education, research and business, the EIT aims to deliver impact across Europe through innovation-driven projects, entrepreneurial education and business creation support. The new allocation underlines its role as the EU’s largest innovation ecosystem and a key player in implementing European policy priorities such as the Union of Skills and the Clean Industrial Deal.
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