Education: 10 EIT labelled master’s programmes covering the full value chain of the raw materials having a strong impact by supporting the re-industrialisation of the raw materials sectors in Europe. To achieveKPI EITHE05.1 EIT RM launched the Lab2Market venture building programme, an entrepreneurship support programme designed for students and/or teams offering solutions to the raw and advanced material value chains. Lab2Market so far provided training for more than 200 participants with 110 female beneficiaries, 158 EIT Label Master Students educated and 40 PhD & Post-doc educated. During 2023, 28 projects including both partner-run and centrally driven KAVAs were running, covering the full lifecycle of innovators, from school pupils and university students to raw materials professionals and the wider EU public, in alignment with the KIC strategy.
Business Creation: As an outcome of the BC&S activities executed in 2023, more than 280 applications have been received, 72 companies were supported with a total funding contribution of above 3 million EUR. In addition, in 2024 H1 focused on creating value through direct investment and actively working with start-ups on maximizing their growth potential, hence Booster was enhanced with investment tickets of up to 500k EUR (from 200k in 2023), while Accelerator is running its last Cohorts in 2024. In H1 2024, through Booster Cut off 1, 47 more applications have been received with 15 start-ups under negotiations to receive funding.
Innovation: Innovation projects aimed to upscale products, technologies or services and to bring them to the market. More tailored support to developing robust go-to-market strategies. Supported applicants in KAVA Call 11 & KAVA Call 12 in submitting quality proposals for new innovation projects. There were several projects selected in that call, they started being executed in Q4 2023, so their progress can be monitored first in 2024. Expanded our service delivery in the area of Open Innovation Challenges. Here EIT RM provided these services to companies like Anglo American, Eramet or Tapojarvi to help them tackle their industrial challenges. Organized 3 very specific, thematic events called Expert Forum, covering topics like photovoltaics and hydrogen, innovation in battery materials, responsible sourcing driving sustainable change.
Regional Innovation Scheme: One of the cornerstones of EIT RM activities and is horizontally integrated across all activity lines. EIT RM identified four different European regions (ESEE Region, Visegrad, Mediterranean and the Baltics) where we focus our RIS activities. RIS topics continued to be embedded into KAVA Calls (open to partners and non-partners), but there were also other RIS activities driven centrally, focused on entrepreneurship and outreach. Grow KIC participation from non-Partners (and potential partners) from RIS regions by securing a strong presence in the RIS countries and by targeted outreach (RIS Hubs). Engage idea holders, entrepreneurs and start-ups from RIS countries into business creation and support programmes offered by EIT RM. Establish and increase bilateral cooperation with RIS countries to seek synergies for common activities and funding of innovation, education and business creation.
