Launch of EIT Urban Mobility in Barcelona to transform Europe’s cities into liveable places

• The city of Barcelona leads and coordinates this innovation community, created by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), which brings together 48 partners from 15 countries, including universities, research centres, industry and cities.
• The objective of this initiative, which has a duration of 7 to 15 years, is to finance projects that contribute to mobility solutions to accelerate the transition towards more liveable urban spaces.
• By 2026, EIT Urban Mobility aims to create 180 start-ups, free up road space in 90% of its partner cities, launch 125 new products, increase shared mobility in all partner cities and attract EUR 38 million investment.

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The city of Barcelona launched today the European initiative EIT Urban Mobility at the Smart City Expo World Congress. The event represented the official start of this EIT Innovation Community, coordinated by Barcelona, which aims to finance projects that contribute to mobility solutions to accelerate the transition towards more liveable urban spaces. 

In December 2018, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) designated the consortium called ‘MOBiLus’, coordinated by Barcelona, as the winning team to set up the innovation community EIT Urban Mobility. The partnership consists of 48 partners from 15 countries, including cities such as Amsterdam, Munich and Milan, universities such as Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Technion and Aalto University,  research centres like Fraunhofer, AMS and CTAG, and industry such as BMW, SEAT, TomTom and Siemens. It is the first European initiative which brings together the so-called knowledge triangle: universities, research centres and industry, plus cities.

Less space road space for cars and shared mobility

EIT Urban Mobility strives for a form of mobility that allows people and goods to move affordable, fast, comfortably, safely and cleanly. More concretely, by 2026, this initiative aims to create 180 start-ups, free up road space in 90% of its partner cities, launch 125 new products, increase shared mobility in all partner cities and attract EUR 38 million investment.  

After the launch of the first Call for Proposals in April this year, 60 projects were selected involving partners from all over Europe, which will be implemented during the following two years: from academic and education activities to innovation projects and business creation. With the aim of accelerating innovations, projects were selected that included different types of partners from various European countries.

EIT Urban Mobility, with its headquarters in Barcelona, will have a duration of 7 to 15 years, with a financial volume of EUR 1.6 billion Euro, with up to 25% (or up to 400 million Euro) funded by the EU through the EIT. The EIT is an independent EU body set up to power innovators to turn their best ideas into products, services and jobs for Europe.

Maria Tsavachidis, CEO of EIT Urban Mobility, said: “EIT Urban Mobility will improve the quality of life in cities, and have a positive impact on climate and economies. After a year of setting up our operations,  we are now ready to kick off and turn plans into reality. We are ready to make a difference and to work towards making our cities more liveable for all citizens”.

The inauguration of authorities was attended by the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala and the President of SEAT, Luca de Meo.

Subsequently, the celebration of the official inauguration took place, with speeches by the CEO of EIT Urban Mobility, Maria Tsavachidis, the coordinator of EIT Urban Mobility, Luís Gómez, the Rector of UPC, Francesc Torres and the EIT Head of Communications and Stakeholder Relations, Alice Fišer, who underlined that “the EIT delivers innovative solutions to global challenges facing our societies. By creating new opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs and students across Europe, EIT Urban Mobility will make innovation happen. As part of Europe’s largest innovation network, EIT Urban Mobility will work with us to deliver a greener, healthier and more sustainable Europe for its citizens”.   

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND/OR ORGANIZATION OF INTERVIEWS:

EIT Urban Mobility

Bernadette Bergsma

Interim Head of Communications and Stakeholder Relations 

Europa Press Comunicación

Isana Navarro / Àgata Sala

+34 600 90 55 65 / +34 600 90 55 38