A Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), is a highly autonomous partnership of leading higher education institutions, research organisations, companies and other stakeholders in the innovation process that tackles societal challenges through the development of products, services and processes and by nurturing innovative entrepreneurial people.

A KIC follows a long-term innovative and impact-driven strategy, operating with business logic and a results-oriented approach. It operates across the EU carrying out a whole range of world-class activities covering the entire innovation value chain in a particular field. Each KIC operates through a limited number of innovation hubs across Europe called ‘co-location centres’. A KIC is established as a legally and financially structured partnership. The EIT has provided the KICs with a great degree of autonomy to define their legal status, internal organisation and working methods. Information about the KIC’s model, the way how KICs operate and KICs activities is available on the EIT’s website and the websites of the existing KICs:

• Climate-KIC: www.climate-kic.org
• EIT ICT Labs: www.eitictlabs.eu
• KIC InnoEnergy: www.kic-innoenergy.com

Further information about the KIC model and KICs is provided in the Framework of Guidance and the Call text (published on 14 February 2014). The Framework of Guidance also provides examples and recommendations of how to organise a KIC and how to build a strong partnership. For more information visit the 2014 KIC Call Documents section of the EIT website.