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Call for Proposals 2024 (closed)

This call for proposals allows higher education institutions and business partners across Europe to collaborate on innovative projects, transforming higher education institutions into hubs for innovation and entrepreneurship

Read call text

About this call for proposals

The EIT HEI Initiative Call for Proposals 2024 has a strong focus on enhancing the quality and competitiveness of European higher education.  It will improve research and technology transfer from higher education and support business creation through strengthening collaboration between HEIs and business partners across Europe.

This call aims to fund up to 42 projects, with each selected project having a total duration of 25 months and an overall budget of EUR 1.34 million. The funding will be distributed across two phases:

  • Phase 1 (1 April to 31 December 2025): Up to EUR 540,000
  • Phase 2 (1 January 2026 to 30 April 2027): Up to EUR 800,000*

*Phase 2 funding is subject to the successful completion of Phase 1 activities and the EIT’s approval of the 2026-2027 Grant Agreement.

The call will incorporate a two-strand approach, where applicants will need to select one of the following strands to apply to:

  • Strand A: Innovation and entrepreneurship capacity building at higher education institutions (HEIs).
  • Strand B: Innovation and entrepreneurship capacity building at HEIs for the enhancement of Deep Tech.

Application deadline: 12 December 2024, 17:00 CET

Timeline

Call 4 Timeline

Resources

Read the call text

You can also check out these FAQs

EIT HEI Initiative List of KIC partner HEIs

Check out the list of previous HEI participants

Networking and matchmaking platform

Similarly to previous years, we’ve launched a networking and matchmaking platform on Conversation Starter. This platform allows organisations to connect with potential partners for joint applications to the call for proposals.

Users must complete their profile with details of their organisation (for example whether they have previously participated in a previous EIT HEI Initiative project, the strand they are interested in applying to, what they are looking for in consortium partners). After browsing participant profiles, users can send invitations and hold meetings within the platform to discuss a potential partnership, leading to the formation of a strong and effective consortium.

Please note that the networking platform has been set up for interested applicants to use independently. The EIT HEI Initiative personnel do not facilitate any interactions or meetings on the networking platform.

Information sessions

To guide applicants through the process, a series of info sessions will be held, providing valuable insights into the application process and clarifying expectations regarding project impact domains, key performance indicators, and collaboration opportunities.

For questions about research and Horizon Europe, you can contact the Research Enquiry Service via their webform

For more information about how to register for an Participant Identification Code (PIC) via the Participant Register, please find the link for the video here.