About
As part of Horizon Europe, the European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) programme aims to create more connected, inclusive, and efficient innovation ecosystems and support the scaling of companies, as laid out in the New European Innovation Agenda.
Innovation ecosystems
- bring together people or organisations whose goal is innovation, and
- include the links between resources (such as funds, equipment, and facilities), organisations (such as higher education institutions, research and technology organisations, companies, venture capitalists and financial intermediaries), investors and policymakers.
The actions supported by European Innovation Ecosystems complement the actions carried out by the EIC and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), activities across Horizon Europe, initiatives at national, regional and local level as well as private and third sector initiatives.
The New European Innovation Agenda
The New European Innovation Agenda (NEIA) will help Europe to develop new technologies, to address the most pressing societal challenges and bring them on the market. Europe wants to be the place where the best talent work hand in hand with the best companies and where deep tech innovation thrives and creates breakthrough inspiring solutions across the continent.
The European Innovation Ecosystems projects contribute to the Agenda by:
Regional Innovation Valleys
In the context of the New European Innovation Agenda, the Regional Innovation Valleys (RIVs) initiative aims to create connected regional innovation valleys across the European Union (EU), involving regions with lower innovation performances, by building on strategic areas of regional strength and specialisation (defined in their smart specialisation strategies), in support of key EU priorities.
As of 10 May 2025, 147 regions in Europe have received the Regional Innovation Valleys label as a recognition to their commitment to enhance the coordination and directionality of their R&I investment and policies, at regional level.
Regions identified as Regional Innovation Valleys
Find out more about some of the selected projects:
Map of selected Regional Innovation Valleys
Matchmaking map: Regional Innovation Valleys
With an overall commitment of EUR 170 million for the whole RIVs' initiative, the first beneficiaries will receive approximately EUR 116 million, with nearly EUR 54 million from the European Innovation Ecosystems Work Programme, under Horizon Europe, and over EUR 62 million from the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
For further information about the Regional Innovation Valley I3 Instrument calls, please visit this page and for further information on the similarities and differences between the EIE and I3 calls, please consult these guidelines.
Funding opportunities
The calls for applications are open till 15 October 2025, 17:00 CEST. An online info session for potential applicants will be organised on 3 June 2025 morning, for further info and registration please check below, under "Guidelines for applicants".
For further information, you can consult the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 - European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) and the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 - Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area (WIDERA).
The 2023-2024 European Innovation Ecosystems actions were grouped under two destinations: CONNECT and INNOVSMES complemented by the 2021-2022 SCALEUP destination.
CONNECT
The actions in CONNECT focus on building interconnected, inclusive innovation ecosystems across Europe by drawing on the existing strengths of national, regional and local ecosystems and pulling in new, less well-represented actors and territories to set, undertake, and achieve collective ambitions towards challenges for the benefit of society, including the green, digital, and social transitions.
European Partnership on Innovative SMEs/EUROSTARS
The INNOVSMES destination supports the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs/Eurostars.
This Partnership helps innovative SMEs and project partners (such us large companies, universities and research organisations) by funding international collaborative R&D and innovation projects. By participating, organisations can increase their research and innovation (R&I) capacity, their productivity and successfully embed in global value chains and new markets.
This action is led by the Eureka Secretariat with the co-fund provided by the Member States. More information here.
SCALEUP
The actions in SCALEUP focus on reinforcing network connectivity within and between innovation ecosystems to accelerate sustainable business growth with high societal value. By actively engaging in local, national and European networks, companies can better capture and create ecosystem opportunities and gain new competitive advantage.
One of the actions funded under the SCALEUP destination is the Women TechEU.
INNOSUP legacy programme
The INNOSUP programme was part of Horizon 2020 and its legacy continued until 2024 as part of the European Innovation Ecosystems actions. The ultimate goal was to enhance innovation in SMEs in Europe essentially via cascade funding schemes.
The programme focused on developing the European innovation ecosystem by supporting SMEs. The INNOSUP actions aimed to test new approaches for better innovation support through funding opportunities for innovation actors across Europe. More can be found on the EASME legacy website.
Guidelines for applicants
The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) organises info sessions for ongoing and forthcoming EIE calls.
On 3 June 2025, the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) is organising an online info session for the following open calls:
- HORIZON-EIE-2025-02-CONNECT-02: Implementing co-funded action plans for connected regional innovation valleys
- HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-05-ACCESS-01: Implementing co-funded action plans for connected regional innovation valleys in widening countries
- HORIZON-EIE-2025-02-CONNECT-01: Preparatory action for setting up joint programmes among innovation ecosystems actors
- HORIZON-EIC-2025-WOMENTECH: Women TechEU initiative; the deadline for applications is 2 September 2025, 17:00 CEST.
Interested in applying? Register to the online info session
For beneficiaries
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Reports
INNOVATIVE PRACTICES IN LEGISLATION AROUND EMERGING TECH
This study focuses on legal and policy initiatives on emerging technologies and provides a better understanding of the impact of the regulatory environment - at EU, national, and regional level - on the market uptake of emerging deep-tech solutions.
It serves as a guidance for the future use of experimental legislation with a special focus on regulatory sandboxes: a repository of relevant legislative practices, incentives and impediments at EU and national level. The study analyses regulatory issues related to emerging deep-tech, including those experienced by European Innovation Council (EIC) beneficiaries, by building upon other relevant initiatives and stakeholders, including those in EIC and Horizon Europe.
MAPPING AND SCOPING OF FRUGAL AND REVERSE INNOVATION IN EUROPE
This study provides an overview of frugal and reverse innovation in the European Union and Horizon Europe Associated Countries.
Frugal and reverse innovations present opportunities to meet the growing demand for affordable and accessible solutions in the EU and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. They can promote a bottom-up innovation ecosystem which strengthens sustainable supply chains and community-driven solutions. They contribute to the EU’s sustainability agenda and its autonomy in the face of growing emerging market competition, particularly in key sectors such as green and health technologies.
This study provides specific policy recommendations for policy makers to ensure inclusive policy instruments, explore international best practices and monitor the frugal and reverse innovation landscape to identify future opportunities.
News
AMULET’s Final Event, held on 16-17 October 2024, brought together over 100 participants to celebrate the results of the project and the three years of cluster collaboration
The GreenOffshoreTech project, funded by the European Union under the Horizon 2020 (INNOSUP) programme, held a two-day final event in Hamburg, on 5-6 June.
The URBAN TECH final event, “Innovate for Europe – Greentech, Health Tech & Smart City Showdown,” took place on 6 June, as part of the Impact Days 2024, during ViennaUP, a city-wide celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship