The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is a key driver of sustainable European economic growth and competitiveness. It reinforces the innovation capacity of the EU and its Member States in order to address the grand challenges facing European society.

During the period from 2014 to 2020, the EIT will contribute to the general objectives of Horizon 2020 - The Framework Programme for Research and Innovation1 , by integrating the entrepreneurship-driven ‘Knowledge Triangle’ of higher education, research and business in order to deliver disruptive innovation. To further enhance its impact and to incentivise the innovations needed to meet new societal challenges, the EIT will, as established in the EIT Regulation2 and Strategic Innovation Agenda (SIA)3 , gradually expand its portfolio of Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). With this Call, the EIT launches the selection process for two new KICs in the thematic areas of:

1) Food4Future - Sustainable Supply Chain from Resources to Consumers; 

2) Added-value Manufacturing.

The KICs offer a genuine opportunity for leading innovation players to be part of a highly integrated and collaborative community, based on principles of excellence and commitment, which will achieve pan-European impact. KICs are organised according to business logic, with a focus on people and talent as drivers of innovation and a lean and efficient governance and business model. The interrelation of these elements within a KIC provides the optimal framework for achieving long-lasting structural, economic and societal impact, and the creation of skilled jobs in Europe.

The EIT is organising an Information Day for the 2016 Call for Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) Proposals to provide participants with information on the Call and guidance to potential applicants in submitting high quality and successful proposals.

More information can be found HERE