EIT CALL – Funding for projects to build innovation & entrepreneurship capacity in HEIs

  • Action type:
  • Opening date: 3 December 2025
  • Closing time: 4 March 2026 17:00 (Europe/Brussels)
  • Budget per project: € 2 000 000 of total € 70 000 000
  • Project duration: 24
  • Official website

Scope

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has launched a new call under its Higher Education Initiative (HEI) to boost STEM education, strengthen innovation capacity, and support Europe’s future workforce.
This call will support projects that enable universities and their partners to develop critical entrepreneurial skills and mindsets, launch new innovation structures and programmes, and strengthen strategic collaboration with industry and society. Projects can apply under: Topic 1: Boosting the innovation and entrepreneurship capacity of Europe’s STEM talent pipeline Topic 2: Strengthening synergies across the European higher education and innovation area, specifically between the EIT ecosystem and the European Universities alliances.
 
Funding can support:
  • Developing and implementing innovation action plans
  • Designing and delivering entrepreneurship programs
  • Training and mentoring
  • Establishing new innovation structures
  • Building partnerships and ecosystems
  • Supporting technology transfer and startups

Who can apply?

Funding is available to partnerships (consortia) led by higher education institutions, working together with other organisations to build innovation capacity.

To apply for funding, you need to form a partnership, or ‘consortium’. We fund projects led by higher education institutions, working together with businesses and other organisations to build innovation capacity in higher education.

Remarks

Eligible partners may include:

  • HEIs
  • Businesses (SMEs, corporates)
  • Research institutes
  • Public bodies and networks

Your consortium must:

  • Have at least 5 partner organisations, all based in Horizon Europe-eligible countries
  • Include at least 3 HEIs from 3 different Horizon Europe eligible countries For Topic 2, all 3 HEIs must be either members of the same European Universities alliance established under the European Universities Initiative, or were members of the same European Universities alliance after 1 January 2019
  • Include at least 1 business partner
  • Include at least 1 other non-HEI partner (business or other)

New project idea for: EIT CALL – Funding for projects to build innovation & entrepreneurship capacity in HEIs

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