The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is a new initiative which aims at becoming a flagship for excellence in European innovation. Next and beyond research and technology, the EIT will focus on education, business creation and entrepreneurship and their capitalization for Europe’s innovation.
In view of making the EIT operational, a top priority for the EIT Governing Board is the selection of the first two or three Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) by January 2010. KICs are highly integrated partnerships composed of businesses, entrepreneurs, universities, research institutes and technology centres that are supposed to produce new innovation models and inspire others to emulate them.