ENGINE
European Network for Growth, Innovation & Entrepreneurship
ENGINE strengthens ACE²-EU’s alliance-level innovation capacity by upgrading start-up support structures, embedding entrepreneurship and IP training, and connecting research-to-venture pathways with EIT KIC ecosystems under Topic 2.
Project Coordinator, Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences Contact
Selected under Topic 2: EIT-HEI-2025-BUILDING-SYNERGIES, ENGINE supports the ACE²-EU European University Alliance in building stronger, more connected innovation and entrepreneurship capacity across its member institutions. The project focuses on turning existing start-up and entrepreneurship support structures into alliance-level innovation engines that are more closely connected to education, research, industry, regional ecosystems, and the wider EIT Community.
ENGINE will deliver innovation, entrepreneurship, and IP management training for students, researchers, academic staff, non-academic staff, and SMEs. The training will be aligned with recognised competence and quality frameworks and designed to support future EIT Label pathways. Through online and scalable formats, challenge-based learning, innovation sprints, hackathons, bootcamps, and venture studio approaches, the project aims to make entrepreneurial skills and research-to-market thinking more accessible across the alliance.
The project also establishes a structured Research-to-Venture pipeline, helping research outputs, student-led innovation projects, and interdisciplinary ideas move from early validation into incubation, mentoring, IP support, investor readiness, and market-facing development. By connecting these activities with EIT Health, 28DIGITAL, and EIT Manufacturing, ENGINE aims to create a transferable model for stronger cooperation between European University alliances and the EIT ecosystem.
Partners on this project
Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences (Lead Partner)
CAMBRIDGE BIOCAPITAL LTD.
Carinthia University of Applied Sciences
Francisco de Vitoria University
Municipal Company for Innovation and Technological Development Ltd.
Polytechnic Institute of Santarém
Adorior
Associacao Tempos Brilhantes
Bavaria Research Alliance - BayFOR
Build! Gründungszentrum Kärnten GmbH
Carinthian Chamber of Commerce
ConnectHub
DIG-IN ZMTEUROPE S.A.
Follow Inspiration S.A.
Icon Lda
Indico Innovation
Kommunalunternehmen Strukturentwicklung Landkreis Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm
MD Solutions Martinho & Duarte Lda
Makerspace Carinthia GmbH
Nguzu
Pozuelo de Alarcon City Council
Q-Liri LDA
Social Entrepreneurs Agency
TechBalance Solucao digital para Reabilitacao Ltd.
Explore related projects
T-RISE
T-RISE strengthens Transform4Europe’s alliance-level innovation capacity by embedding a Joint Innovation Office, ecosystem mapping, micro-credentials, start-up support, and structured Climate-KIC, 28DIGITAL, and EIT RawMaterials cooperation under Topic 2.
ENTREBLUE
ENTREBLUE strengthens maritime STEM innovation capacity by connecting women-led accelerators, shared R&I infrastructures, microcredentials, start-up acceleration, and global talent attraction under Topic 1.
SFF-DT
SFF-DT strengthens STEM research-to-market capacity by connecting competence-based entrepreneurship education, researcher sprints, TTO/KTO toolkits, an Open STEM-Incubator, and KIC-aligned venture pathways under Topic 1.