The EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS): Closing the Innovation Divide in Europe

Supporting the innovation communities that need us

We launched the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme in 2014 to help countries boost their ability to innovate based on their scores on the European Innovation Scoreboard.

EIT RIS activities are tailor-made to meet the diverse innovation needs of eligible countries. We’ve been setting up on-the-ground Hubs in eligible countries and regions scoring in the "moderate" or "emerging" score categories to help spear-head on-the-ground implementation of these activities. EIT RIS Hubs foster closer interactions between local innovation actors and link local innovation ecosystems to the EIT’s pan-European innovation ecosystem. They also help integrate potential new partners and participants from the local innovation ecosystem in EIT Community activities.

Get all the latest info about the RIS:

Check the EIT RIS website

Want to know where to find your closest EIT RIS Hub?

Check out our interactive map

By the end of 2025, we will have hubs in all EIT RIS-eligible areas. There are two types of hubs:

EIT RIS Hubs, each run by different Knowledge and Innovation Communities, where they conduct their activities and carry out their mission to boost regional innovation
EIT RIS Community Hubs which will be nodes for all EIT Communities, a one-stop-shop where you will find information on all opportunities and activities we can provide

Learn more about our hubs

If you’re based in an RIS-eligible country, you can benefit from our programme

Whoever you are, whether a student, a researcher, an entrepreneur, a representative of an SME, a university, research lab, national/regional government, NGOs, or a city, you’ve come to the right place. The EIT RIS will support your innovation capacity and all of your innovation ambitions.

Check from the list below to see if your country/region is eligible for the RIS between 2025 and 2027:

EU Member States: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia
Horizon Europe Associated Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine
Outermost Regions: Guadeloupe (France), French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte and Saint-Martin (France), the Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and the Canary Islands (Spain)

Regional Innovation Booster

The EIT Regional Innovation Booster is a new flagship initiative of the EIT, offering targeted support to start-ups and scale-ups in modest and moderate innovator countries, helping them grow towards commercial success, access international markets, and attract further investment. With a view to launching a broader pilot in at least four countries from 2026, followed by full roll-out from 2029, Poland will host the pilot phase of the EIT RIB in 2025. The EIT RIB programme, developed together with national authorities, will simplify and connect Europe’s innovation support landscape. It will create country-specific support ecosystems by connecting existing funding and initiatives, offering the most promising start-ups a seamless path to commercial success and internationalisation. The EIT plans to invest at least €30 million in piloting the EIT RIB until 2028.

The pilot phase will focus on ecosystem mapping, start-up selection and mentoring, internationalisation support, and strategic alignment with Poland’s smart specialisation priorities. A joint EIT–Poland Task Force will oversee the implementation of the programme.

The EIT Regional Innovation Booster is a key step towards realising the EIT Governing Board’s future vision of a more connected, inclusive, and competitive innovation ecosystem across Europe, as outlined in their strategic vision document.