Call for KICs launched

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) launched the call for proposals for its first Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) on Thursday 2 April 2009.

KICs are highly integrated public-private partnerships between higher education, research, business and entrepreneurial actors and will be the operational engine of the EIT. They will be innovative webs of excellence, responding to key societal challenges such as sustainable energy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the future information and communication society.

KICs will drive effective new interactions between partners in terms of ideas, technology, culture, business and design models. They will create new business for existing industry, including SMEs, and for new endeavours alike. A strong component of KICs' innovation strategies will be to educate and develop entrepreneurial people working across traditional borders, sectors and disciplines.

Launching the call for proposals for the KICs consists of a major step forward for the EIT. The call will be open until 27 August and the first two or three KICs selected by the end of 2009.

Further Information: 

link to Official Commission Press Release

KICs page