IMPACTWHEEL aims to strengthen the entrepreneurial and innovation capacity of higher education institutions (HEIs) across Europe by fostering institutional change, supporting academic commercialization, and embedding HEIs more deeply into regional innovation ecosystems. The project brings together a culturally and geographically diverse consortium of 6 HEIs, 2 intermediary organisations, and 2 innovation-focused companies from 7 European countries.

Building on the expertise of partners involved in previous EIT HEI projects, IMPACTWHEEL will:

• Map and transfer proven entrepreneurial practices using the Value Creation Wheel (VCW) methodology;
• Co-create and pilot innovation and entrepreneurship training programmes for students, academic and non-academic staff;
• Support the creation and scaling of start-ups and foster new business partnerships;
• Institutionalise successful approaches through strategic engagement with HEI leadership;
• Promote long-term sustainability through cross-fertilisation, policy alignment, and regional ecosystem integration.

The project will establish entrepreneurship steering committees, introduce new training modules and micro-credentials, and engage over 1,000 students and staff. By combining crowdsourcing, mentoring, and regional cooperation, IMPACTWHEEL aims to transform HEIs into key drivers of innovation, economic growth, and societal impact across Europe.

Project coordinator

Dina Pereira, Doctor, Universidade da Beira Interior (contact)