Almost 1.500 innovators from 44 countries applied for the European Institute of Innovation & Technology’s (EIT) € 60 million Crisis Response Initiative. By deploying a rapid response mechanism, all EIT Crisis Response activities will be completed by the end of 2020 to help Europe recover.
Under the EIT Crisis Response Initiative, each EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community launched Calls for Proposals for ventures and for innovation projects. Close to 1.500 proposals were received from 44 countries. Including all 27 EU Member States as well as the Israel, Northern Macedonia, Norway, United Kingdom, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey.
Sustainability
Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth: ‘This action of the EIT is part of the EU’s comprehensive response to the COVID-19 crisis. Including substantial support to innovation. I am glad to see the efficient mobilisation of all EU instruments that we have at our disposal. Now hundreds of innovators and companies will be given the opportunity to participate in the collective effort to overcome this crisis. They can rebuild our economy sustainably.’
Climate-KIC, InnoEnergy and Raw Materials
The quality and relevance of the EIT’s eight Knowledge and Innovation Communities’ Calls for Proposals under the EIT Crisis Response Initiative were evaluated. Based on this, the EIT Governing Board decided to allocate the following grants:
- Climate-KIC: EUR 8.40 million
- Digital: EUR 7.65 million
- Food: EUR 10.25 million
- Health: EUR 9.85 million
- InnoEnergy: EUR 7.40 million
- Raw Materials: EUR 9.80 million
- Manufacturing: EUR 3.30 million
- Urban Mobility: EUR 3.35 million
Following the EIT Governing Board decision, each EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community will now finalise its selection processes based on the available budget. It is foreseen that 60% of the EIT Crisis Response funds will be awarded to highly innovative start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs as part of the ‘Venture Support Instrument’, and 40% to innovation projects under the ‘Pandemic Response Projects’.
