EIT — European Institute of Innovation & Technology

What is the EIT?

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is an EU body that strengthens Europe's ability to innovate by integrating higher education, research, and business. The EIT operates through Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) -- large-scale partnerships that bring together organisations from across the knowledge triangle to tackle specific societal challenges.

Each KIC operates as a pan-European network with regional hubs (Co-Location Centres) that coordinate local activities. Unlike traditional research programmes, KICs place equal emphasis on education, entrepreneurship, and innovation, creating a unique ecosystem that develops talent and commercialises research simultaneously.

Knowledge and Innovation Communities

The EIT currently operates several KICs, each focused on a major societal challenge:

• EIT Digital -- driving European digital transformation through innovation, education, and start-up acceleration in areas including AI, cybersecurity, and digital industry
• EIT Climate-KIC -- catalysing climate innovation through systems change, supporting start-ups, cities, and organisations to decarbonise
• EIT Manufacturing -- strengthening European manufacturing competitiveness through digitalisation, sustainability, and workforce development
• EIT Health -- accelerating healthcare innovation from personalised medicine to digital health technologies
• EIT Urban Mobility, EIT Food, EIT Raw Materials, EIT InnoEnergy -- additional KICs covering transport, food systems, materials, and energy

How Digital Tactics Participates

Digital Tactics engages with EIT activities primarily through EIT Digital and EIT Climate-KIC, where our expertise in AI, software engineering, and sustainable computing aligns directly with the KICs' innovation agendas. Our participation takes several forms: contributing to innovation activities that develop and pilot new digital products, participating in education programmes that build AI and software skills, and supporting start-up and scale-up activities within the KIC ecosystem.

We also contribute to EIT-funded activities through our involvement in related research projects. For example, our work on green software and sustainable computing connects naturally to EIT Climate-KIC's decarbonisation agenda, while our AI governance and ethics work aligns with EIT Digital's responsible digital transformation priorities.

Eligibility and How to Join

EIT KICs welcome partners from business, research, and education. Organisations can participate through annual calls for activities published by each KIC, or by joining an existing KIC partnership. UK organisations can participate following the UK's association to Horizon Europe, as the EIT operates under the same framework. Activities range from short innovation sprints to multi-year strategic partnerships.

Get Involved

The EIT offers a distinctive approach to innovation that goes beyond traditional R&D funding. If your organisation wants to combine research, education, and business innovation in a European context, Digital Tactics can help you navigate the KIC landscape and find the right opportunities. Contact us to discuss how EIT activities could support your goals.