Ready. Set. Grow.
Together, we will deliver the innovation that Europe’s reputation and growth depend on.
The EIT Higher Education Initiative is the only funding programme targeted for innovation in higher education. It creates the conditions for innovation to thrive – by strengthening systems, connecting sectors, and aligning innovation with Europe’s ambitions.
Collaboration is the strongest foundation
For ideas to thrive, Europe needs research, industry, and policy to connect seamlessly. We help universities and their partners to create these conditions, so that ideas move efficiently from research to market.
Making Europe’s priorities, our priorities
We align projects with Europe’s major goals, including:
- Supporting the green transition through climate-focused innovation.
- Advancing digital transformation and skills.
- Strengthening Europe’s regional innovation capacity and global competitiveness.
By aligning local actions with European ambitions, we ensure every project contributes to a stronger, future-ready Europe.
What makes innovation ecosystems work?
Innovation ecosystems succeed when ideas, people, and systems align. The EIT Higher Education Initiative helps make this happen by focusing on:
-
Structures
Strengthening governance and leadership within institutions to prioritise innovation.
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Connections
Linking universities with industry and policymakers to drive practical collaboration.
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Culture
Supporting entrepreneurial mindsets and practices within higher education.
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Impact alignment
Ensuring projects contribute to Europe’s green and digital transitions.
Innovation happens when the
right people come together
Across Europe, the EIT Higher Education Initiative is helping universities, businesses, and policymakers turn ideas into outcomes that matter.
700+ institutions
involved
We help higher education leaders embed innovation at the heart of their institutions.
€69M
awarded
Awarded to support 359 HEIs and 380+ non-academic organisations.
1700+ start-ups
supported
We support organisations to launch, scale and sustain their ventures.
90,000+ people
trained
Trained students, academic and non-academic staff on innovation and entrepreneurship.
SMART4FUTURE: bridging academia and entrepreneurship
Explore the project activities spearheaded by Maja Brkljačić, Head of the research institute Algebra LAB at Algebra University in Zagreb, within the SMART4FUTURE project.
DISCO: Uniting universities and enterprises for sustainable innovation
In this interview, Monitoring and Evaluation Expert Dr Marek Oramus highlights the impact of DISCO, an innovative project fostering collaboration between education, businesses and civil society.
OASIS and PROMETHEUS: empowering student innovation through joint technology transfer initiatives
Discover how the OASIS and PROMETHEUS projects led to the creation of a joint technology transfer office, the outcomes of their collaboration, and the challenges they successfully navigated
SMILE: Supporting start-ups and scale-ups in smart manufacturing
Learn more about how the SMILE project fosters innovation in smart manufacturing through international collaboration
DETECT! project: connecting deep technologies and entrepreneurship as a driver of institutional change
Learn about the DETECT! project’s transformative goals and the challenges of bringing creative learning to highly technical fields.
EIT Higher Education Initiative’s successful Pilot Phase conclusion event fosters innovation and entrepreneurship in European higher education, emphasising collaboration and deep tech
The event celebrated the initiative’s journey, showcasing the transformative impact of innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education.
ILCA: driving innovation and climate action in Ukraine
Anton Tkachenko discusses the development of the Ukrainian Innovation Laboratory for Climate Actions (ILCA), a project aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable practices.
Network IQ Alliance: developing networking competencies for innovation and entrepreneurship
From forging global partnerships to fostering entrepreneurial skills, discover how the Network IQ Alliance is shaping the future of innovation and entrepreneurship across borders.
VIADUCT: fostering spin-offs through inter-regional collaboration and innovation
Read an inspiring interview with Cristina Ruiz García on VIADUCT, a project helping drive technology transfer and commercialisation by valorising public research and helping universities collaborate.
Ready to turn your idea into action?
Whether you’re leading a university, growing a start-up, or shaping Europe’s future, we’re here to help you make an impact.