BLENDS
Boosting Learning in Entrepreneurship through New and Deepening alliance Synergies
BLENDS strengthens innovation capacity across the UNIC Alliance by connecting entrepreneurial learning, CityLabs, technology transfer, start-up support, and EIT KIC synergies under Topic 2.
Selected under Topic 2: EIT-HEI-2025-BUILDING-SYNERGIES, BLENDS supports the UNIC European University Alliance in strengthening its role as an innovation actor in post-industrial cities. The project connects entrepreneurial education, city-based innovation, knowledge and technology transfer, and start-up development into a shared alliance-wide pathway.
At the centre of BLENDS is the UNIC Centre for City Futures and its network of CityLabs. These living laboratories bring together universities, cities, students, researchers, public authorities, businesses, and citizens to address concrete urban challenges. The project will use Lighthouse Cities to pilot innovation partnerships and then test the scalability and transferability of these approaches across Fellow Cities in the alliance.
BLENDS will also establish stronger structures for technology transfer and venture support, including an Alliance Technology Transfer Hub, a shared Commercialisation Readiness Framework, and an Alliance Start-up Development Programme. By aligning these activities with EIT Climate-KIC, 28DIGITAL, and EIT Health, the project aims to create a clearer route from university-based learning and research to city-validated solutions, start-up development, and wider European innovation opportunities.
Partners on this project
Erasmus University Rotterdam (Lead Partner)
ERASMUS CENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP BV
KOC UNIVERSITY
MALMO UNIVERSITET
POLSKA AGENCJA ROZWOJU PRZEDSIEBIORCZOSCI
RUHR-UNIVERSITAET BOCHUM
SVEUCILISTE U ZAGREBU
UNIVERSIDAD DE LA IGLESIA DE DEUSTO ENTIDAD RELIGIOSA
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK - NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, CORK
UNIWERSYTET LODZKI
University of Liège
University of Oulu
Oulun kaupunki (City of Oulu)
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