Meeting Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva at European Parliament
Meeting Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva at the European Parliament.
On the invitation of MEP Christian Ehler, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), together with one of its Knowledge and Innovation Community, EIT Culture & Creativity, attended a strategic breakfast meeting with EU Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva at the European Parliament. The session brought together around 25 partners of EIT Culture & Creativity and focused on strengthening the role of the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries in the upcoming Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034.
Opening the exchange, MEP Christian Ehler highlighted the often overlooked importance of culture and creativity in the daily lives of European citizens and consumers. Stefan Dobrev, Chair of the EIT Governing Board, pointed to synergies with Commission priorities, such as the New European Bauhaus.
As the newest EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community, EIT Culture& Creativity has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to contribute to shaping the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework for the cultural and creative sectors and industries from the outset and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and resilience
Stefan Dobrev, Chair of the EIT Governing Board
Anette Schaefer, CEO of EIT Culture & Creativity, underlined the initiative’s long term strategic impact, particularly in Audiovisual Media, Architecture, Cultural heritage, Fashion, and Gaming.
In 2025, we are supporting around 70 startups, and we are ready to unlock the full potential of the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries in alignment with the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy
Anette Schaefer, CEO of EIT Culture & Creativity
Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva encouraged the sector’s innovators to proactively engage with DG Research & Innovation and leverage existing EU instruments. She stressed the importance of enhancing research and innovation capacities among SMEs and solo entrepreneurs in the CCSI while recognising that not every company needs an internal R&D unit. She praised EIT Culture & Creativity’s collaborative innovation model as ideally suited to the sector’s diverse and granular nature.
Partners of EIT Culture & Creativity highlighted how collaborative innovation, core to the EIT Knowledge Triangle of education, research, and business, transforms what is often seen as a weakness in CCSI, its fragmentation, into a strength. Through cross-sectoral collaboration, the EIT Culture & Creativity community is building a truly open, interconnected innovation ecosystem, unlocking new connections and unmatched opportunities across Europe.
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