Design

The KIC should harvest intellectual, human, material and financial resources to create valuable outputs such as innovation communities, high quality curricula, start-ups, innovative products, services, technologies, through which it develops and sustains value-added business, enhances competencies necessary for innovation and entrepreneurship, and for developing solutions to major societal challenges.

The KIC is expected to create the following impact:

• technological/economic/innovation impact by influencing the creation and growth of companies, as well as the creation of new innovative solutions to address the global challenges, creating direct and indirect jobs and mobilising additional public and private investments;
• scientific and educational impact by, strengthening human capital in research and innovation, enhancing innovative and entrepreneurial skills both at individual and organisational levels and fostering the creation and diffusion of knowledge and innovation openly within society;
• societal impact, including the impact derived by the delivery of systematic solutions within and beyond the EIT Community, also through Cross-KIC activities, by addressing EU policy priorities in the cultural and creative sectors and industries (CCSI) through innovative solutions, engagement with citizens and end-users and by strengthening the uptake of innovative solutions in these areas in society.

This KIC approach to building systemic impact should be aligned with and contribute to Horizon Europe impact pathway approach as well as the EIT Impact Framework KPIs.

An EIT KIC is an integrated partnership bringing together leading companies, higher education institutions, research organisations and other stakeholders in the innovation process to tackle pressing societal challenges through the development of products, services and processes and also by nurturing innovative, entrepreneurial individuals. A KIC connects excellence-driven innovation hubs, the Co-location Centres, to become leading centres of excellence, competing and collaborating with other innovation hubs across the world.

A KIC follows a long-term innovation and impact-driven strategy, operating with a business logic and a results-oriented approach to contribute to the achievement of the EIT’s overall mission, the priorities laid down in the EIT Strategic Agenda 2021-2027 and the attainment of the general objectives established in Horizon Europe.

A KIC delivers a whole range of world-class activities bringing together actors from different sides of the Knowledge Triangle (business, education and research) encompassing the whole innovation value chain within a particular field. A KIC’s portfolio of activities typically includes, inter alia: entrepreneurial education and training programmes, research-driven innovation projects, and incubation of and support to start-ups and scale-ups. The EIT also encourages close collaboration between all of its KICs.

A KIC is established as a legally and financially structured transparent partnership with a substantial degree of autonomy to set up its own governance system based on good governance principles provided by the EIT (Partnership Agreement). A strong commitment by KIC partners, including financial support, is indispensable. KICs must remain open and flexible to attract new partners who bring added value to the partnership.

The obligation for a KIC to become financially sustainable in the long-term is a unique feature of the EIT’s innovation model. In this context, a KIC must develop and implement a revenue-generating strategy to maintain its innovation ecosystem and activities beyond the period during which the EIT provides financial support through grant agreements.

In pursuing financial sustainability, the KIC should look for a diversification of its revenue and investment sources by mobilising funds from other public and private sources and to attract and engage the widest possible range of relevant new partners. The KIC should aim to maximise the share of contributions from public and private sources and from income generated by its activities and to pursue and achieve financial sustainability at the latest before the expiry of the Partnership Agreement (see section 2.8) with the EIT.

The EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) is mandatory for all KICs and an integral part of their multi-annual strategies. EIT RIS activities aim to improve the innovation capacity of countries, and regions in those countries, which are classified as modest and moderate innovation performers according to the European Innovation Scoreboard, as well as the Outermost Regions, and foster the integration of new partners from those countries and regions into the KIC’s communities. The KIC’s EIT RIS activities should be aligned with the EIT RIS Implementation Framework (2022-2027) and deliver on the EIT RIS objectives presented in the EIT legislative framework.

In addition, a KIC is expected to take part in the HEI) Initiative helping higher education institutions to build their capacity to innovate and to teach innovation and entrepreneurship.

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 to address the grand challenges facing European society.

During the 2021 to 2027 period, the EIT contributes to the general objectives of Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation by integrating the entrepreneurship-driven ‘Knowledge Triangle’ of business, higher education and research to boost disruptive innovation across Europe.

To further enhance its impact and to incentivise the innovations needed to meet new societal challenges, the EIT will, as established in the EIT Regulation and EIT Strategic Innovation Agenda (SIA) 2021-2027, gradually expand its portfolio of Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). With this Call for Proposals, the EIT launches the selection process for a new KIC in the thematic area of cultural and creative sectors and industries.

The EIT KIC will be an integrated partnership bringing together leading companies, higher education institutions, research organisations and other stakeholders in the innovation process to tackle pressing societal challenges through the development of products, services and processes and also by nurturing innovative, entrepreneurial individuals. The KIC connects excellence-driven innovation hubs, the Co-location Centres to become leading centres of excellence, competing and collaborating with other innovation hubs across the world.

The KIC is expected to follow a long-term innovation and impact-driven strategy, operating with a business logic and a results-oriented approach to contribute to the achievement of the EIT’s overall mission, the priorities laid down in the EIT Strategic Agenda 2021-2027 and the attainment of the general objectives established in Horizon Europe.

Creativity is a key driver of innovation and a KIC on CCSI has the capacity to unleash the potential of artistic, culture-based creativity and to help strengthen Europe’s competitiveness, sustainability, prosperity and smart growth. A KIC on Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI) shall address the major economic and societal challenges within the specific sector as referred to in the EIT Strategic Agenda 2021-2027. The EIT does not pre-define the strategic sub-areas eligible within the field of CCSI leaving it to applicants to propose focus areas in their strategies. For more information on the scope and theme for this new EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community, please download the factsheet.

The KIC will deliver a whole range of world-class activities bringing together actors from different sides of the Knowledge Triangle (business, education and research) encompassing the whole innovation value chain within cultural and creative sectors and industries. The KIC’s portfolio of activities will include, inter alia: entrepreneurial education and training programmes, research-driven innovation projects, and incubation of and support to start-ups and scale-ups.