Budapest-, Hungary- In a significant push to bolster Europe’s competitiveness in research and innovation, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has allocated €63 million to higher education institutions under its 2024 Higher Education Initiative Call for Proposals . The funding will support 47 projects involving 620 organizations across 46 countries, with the objective of strengthening innovation capacity in academia and reinforcing ties with industry.
The funding round, announced on 20 May 2025 by the EIT in Budapest, is the latest development in the EU’s broader effort to address the continent’s innovation and talent gaps. Since the Initiative’s launch in 2021, it remains the only European instrument solely focused on enhancing the innovation capabilities of higher education institutions (HEIs).
Twelve of the newly approved projects will specifically target Deep Tech—a sector covering advanced technologies such as quantum computing, AI, robotics, and synthetic biology. These projects will contribute directly to the EIT’s flagship Deep Tech Talent Initiative, which aims to train one million specialists by the end of 2025.
Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, welcomed the development. “When universities, research centres and businesses team up, ideas become real-world solutions,” she said. “The EIT Higher Education Initiative has helped build closer links between academia and industry, driving innovation and growth. The results of this Call for Proposals are a show of confidence in Europe’s innovation capacity. These are the investments that keep Europe strong and competitive.”
The 47 projects were selected from a pool of 130 consortia applications, comprising 1,480 organisations from 55 countries. Each successful consortium will receive up to €1.34 million in funding, with both full partners—eligible for direct financial support—and associated partners participating in a supporting capacity.
The EIT confirmed that the newly funded projects commenced on 1 April 2025. The partnerships include 284 HEIs, 186 businesses, and 150 non-academic organisations such as research centres, public authorities, and professional associations.
Of particular note is the inclusion of 193 new higher education institutions as full partners. This addition brings the total number of HEIs engaged in the Initiative to 501, surpassing the original 2027 target of 500 participants two years ahead of schedule.
Stefan Dobrev, Chairperson of the EIT Governing Board, praised the progress made since the programme’s inception. “The results delivered by the EIT Higher Education Initiative since its launch four years ago are impressive,” he said. “This is the only European initiative dedicated to the earliest stages of the innovation lifecycle within higher education institutions. It is core to the EIT’s mission of linking academic excellence to impact for society and the economy. The achievements of the first 65 projects are a testament to the power of this approach. We are pleased to welcome the new project partners, including a record number of industry partners, to Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem. We have no doubt that these new projects will deliver significant impact for Europe.”
Since 2021, the Initiative has disbursed more than €69 million to 308 HEIs and 135 non-academic organisations, backing 65 pan-European projects. According to EIT records, those efforts have trained over 90,000 students in innovation and entrepreneurship and supported more than 1,700 start-ups and scale-ups. The programme has also contributed to the creation of over 240 new start-ups.
The EIT Higher Education Initiative is coordinated by EIT RawMaterials, one of the nine Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) established under the EIT umbrella. These KICs serve as specialised networks that link academia, industry, and public institutions to develop joint solutions to Europe’s most pressing challenges.
The EIT operates as a body of the European Union and forms a core component of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation framework programme. In addition to its existing nine KICs—including EIT Digital, EIT InnoEnergy, and EIT Health—the Institute has opened a call for a 10th KIC, EIT Water, with applications due by 17 June.
The EIT stated that further details on the selected projects will be made available on its official website.
