European Innovation Council

The European Innovation Council (EIC) is Europe’s flagship innovation programme to identify, develop and scale up breakthrough technologies and innovations. It was launched under the EU Horizon Europe programme in March 2021, following a pilot phase in 2018-2020. It has a budget of €10.1 billion to support game changing innovations throughout the lifecycle from early stage research, to proof of concept, technology transfer, and the financing and scale up of start-ups and SMEs.

The strategy and implementation of the EIC is steered by the EIC Board, which has independent members appointed from the world of innovation (entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, corporates and others from the innovation ecosystem).

In November 2021, the EIC Forum formally kicked off to promote dialogue on the development of the EU's innovation ecosystem, and improve coordination between national and regional innovation programmes and innovation activities under Horizon Europe. Consisting of six Working Groups, it aims to serve as an essential tool to help shape a new European Innovation Strategy with Member States and Associated Countries.