At a glance
- Calls:
- Funding calls, business support programmes, courses and other opportunities open throughout the year. Dates and application processes vary between EIT communities and activities.
- Opportunity type:
- Innovation, business support, education, skills, funding
- Award:
- The EIT has allocated €978 million to innovation, entrepreneurship and skills activities for 2026 to 2028. Funding levels, co-funding requirements and types of support vary by community, programme and individual call.
- Sectors:
- Climate, culture and creativity, digital, energy, food, health, raw materials, urban mobility and water
Overview
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology, known as the EIT, is part of Horizon Europe’s Pillar 3: Innovative Europe.
It supports innovation by bringing together businesses, universities and research organisations through long-term partnerships called Knowledge and Innovation Communities.
These communities help develop new products and services, support start-ups and growing businesses, and provide education and entrepreneurship programmes.
The EIT aims to:
- strengthen innovation ecosystems across Europe
- develop entrepreneurial and innovation skills
- bring solutions to global challenges to market
- connect research, education and business
What the EIT supports
The EIT supports innovation, entrepreneurship and skills through its Knowledge and Innovation Communities.
Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC)
The EIT communities focus on major economic and societal challenges. Below are the KICs and the link to their websites for more information:
- Climate KIC: Supporting climate innovation and the transition to a climate-resilient, net-zero economy.
- EIT Culture and Creativity: Supporting innovation and growth across the cultural and creative sectors and industries.
- 28DIGITAL: Supporting digital innovation, skills, entrepreneurship and technology development.
- EIT Food: Supporting a healthier, more sustainable and resilient food system.
- EIT Health: Supporting health innovation, new technologies and more sustainable health and care systems.
- EIT RawMaterials: Supporting secure, sustainable and circular raw material value chains.
- InnoEnergy: Supporting sustainable energy innovation and the transition to a low-carbon energy system.
- EIT Urban Mobility: Supporting cleaner, safer and more accessible transport and mobility in towns and cities.
- EIT Water: The support available varies between communities. Each community publishes its own calls, programmes, eligibility conditions and application deadlines.
While the calls launched by individual KICs are listed on the Funding & Tenders Portal, the Portal itself is not used to submit proposals to these calls. Each KIC uses its own submission system and proposal templates, which can be found on the websites of individual KICs.
Who this is for
EIT opportunities may be relevant for:
- universities and higher education institutions
- research and technology organisations
- businesses, start-ups and SMEs
- entrepreneurs and innovation teams
- larger companies and industry partners
- students, graduates and researchers
- incubators and accelerators
- investors and financial organisations
- public authorities
- charities and civil society organisations
- organisations providing education, training or business support
The appropriate route depends on the individual opportunity.
For example:
- businesses may apply for innovation or accelerator programmes
entrepreneurs may receive start-up development and investment support
- universities may participate in education, research or institutional transformation projects
- students and professionals may apply for courses, training and entrepreneurship programmes
- organisations may join an EIT community as partners or participate in an open call
Eligibility
Eligibility varies between EIT communities and individual opportunities.
Some calls are open to single organisations, while others require a partnership or international consortium. Calls may also specify:
- eligible organisation types
- participating countries or regions
- the number and type of partners required
- technology or market-readiness levels
- co-funding requirements
- membership or partnership conditions
- the amount and type of financial support available
The UK is associated to Horizon Europe, but applicants should check the geographic and participation conditions of each EIT opportunity before applying.
Always read the individual call documents and application guidance.
Next steps and support
- Explore on their website the EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities and identify the community that best matches your sector, technology or proposed activity.
- Check the current opportunities published by the EIT and the relevant community. View current EIT opportunities for the latest eligibility rules, funding conditions and deadlines.
- Read the guidance for the individual call, course, accelerator or business support programme before applying.
- Where partners are required, find partners and build a consortium and agree roles, activities, responsibilities and costs.
- Contact the relevant EIT community or UK National Contact Point for further guidance and support.
Find current EIT opportunities
Open and upcoming EIT opportunities and submission deadlines are listed on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.
Please note: While the calls launched by individual KICs are listed on the Funding & Tenders Portal, the Portal itself is not used to submit proposals to these calls. Each KIC uses its own submission system and proposal templates, which can be found on the websites of individual KICs.
Find current EIT opportunities on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.
Registering for PIC
Your organisation needs a Participant Identification Code (PIC) to apply for funding from the EIT and its KICs. If your organisation does not yet have one, find out how to register your organisation and get a PIC on the EU Funding and Tenders portal.