Over 500 organisations apply to EU scheme linking businesses with universities
Over 500 organisations applied to the latest round of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s scheme for helping universities boost their innovation and entrepreneurship.
The EIT’s Higher Education Initiative is designed to help universities create links with businesses to develop action plans on entrepreneurship and innovation, with the EU agency facilitating knowledge exchange and providing expertise and funding.
In its third call, which closed last month, the HEI attracted 48 applications involving 286 universities and 232 non-academic organisations, the EIT revealed last week.
This year, the call had a focus on so-called deep-tech—technology that is heavily based on research—in line with a wider EU plan to put deep tech at the heart of efforts for the bloc to become a leading player on the global innovation scene.
The scheme was opened up last year to Ukrainian institutions to show solidarity with the country amid Russia’s invasion. The EIT said it was “particularly happy” that 26 Ukrainian universities and 11 non-academic organisations from the country had applied in this round.
Sixteen winning projects that will each receive a maximum of €750,000 will be announced in May.