Strategic Synergies Cluster XKIC BP 23-25 Proposal

Project Information

Strategic Synergies

Grant agreement ID: 101113151

DOI

10.3030/101113151

Project closed

EC signature date 13 April 2023

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 31 December 2025

Funded under

• The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)

Total cost

€ 13 394 681,76

EU contribution

€ 13 394 681,26

Coordinated by

EIT FOOD
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Strategic Synergies (Strategic Synergies Cluster XKIC BP 23-25 Proposal)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2024-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The EIT Community Strategic Synergies (hereafter EIT CSS) is addressing these challenges directly by bridging expertise of the different KICs and developing joint activities, initiatives and investing to boost resilience and responsiveness of the European innovation value chain. Strengthening sustainable innovation ecosystems across Europe and beyond is indeed the first of the four main objectives of the EIT Strategic Innovation Agenda 2021-2027 (hereafter SIA 2021-2027). Additionally, the EIT CSS promotes stronger cross-KIC collaboration on thematic and horizontal topics which each KIC is currently contributing yet no dedicated KIC exist.
The EIT CSS provides a clear added value to the EIT mission by setting out the specific objective to facilitate and foster collaboration across different actors of the EIT Community in key thematic areas identified in the EIT SIA 2021-207 and EU policy priorities. By bringing together and promoting cooperation across the different KICs involved, the EIT SCC increases the EIT Community’s visibility and impact with relevant stakeholders in key areas to drive a systemic change in Europe. By gathering EIT Community’s answers to strategic challenges in one cluster, the KICs develop stronger collaboration and joint activities between programmes that would otherwise never meet. Furthermore, the EIT CSS increases scalability of actions and results, promotes dissemination of good practices, improves efficiency in terms of management and implementation of processes. Lastly, the closer collaborative approach offers opportunities to attract new sources of fundings and improve KICs’ financial sustainability, including but to limited to, by attracting new partners in the largest innovation ecosystem

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The work of the EIT Community Strategic Synergies is structured in four Work Packages:
WP1: Management and Communication: Effective management and increase visibility: by coordinating activities, developing common practices and resources to support partners during the implementation period and maximising impact through joint communication and dissemination activities, including relevant stakeholders’ engagement.
WP2: Artificial Intelligence: by providing solutions for a human-centric implementation of AI that can best address its societal, business, environmental and regulatory challenges but also contributing to the ambitious Deep Tech Talent Initiative (DTTI) initiative.
WP3: New European Bauhaus (NEB): by supporting community-based capacity building initiatives and start-ups to accelerate the shift towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and beautiful Europe and contributing therefore to the Green Deal.
WP4: Supernovas: this WP focuses on women Entrepreneurship by promoting an inclusive entrepreneurial and investment ecosystem, mainstreaming business opportunities and increasing the share of women-led innovation in the market.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

WP1 – M&C WP1 has been able to achieve a greater collaboration among the different WPs. Given the different nature of the topics with the EITCSS, this is an achievement and improvement compared to the previous funded period. Overall, the resources allocated to this WP, including staff, have proved effective to harmonise, support and create a common identity in addition to coordinating and monitoring activities.
WP2 – AI Through the Skill Sync tool, a new methodology has been implemented in order to identify the most relevant skills for organisations and regions to be more competitive. SkillSync aims to become the reference tool in Europe for upskilling recommendations with the objective to boost innovation and competitiveness. Specific metrics for skill analysis at all levels of NUT regions are proposed, including i) skills coverage, iii) skills distribution and iii) skills concentration. A specific categorisation of the ESCO skills relevant for specific domains is being created. The maintenance and improvement of ESCO is crucial and categorising the skills and occupations for each vertical sector of EIT KICs is needed.
WP3- NEB Main activity results
• Cultivation of relations with other NEB stakeholders, i.e. Craft, Nebula; and NEB-related EU bodies, i.e. JRC, EAC.
• Financial sustainability: KICs working together towards complementary HE funding, and also individually through the NEB common topic.
• Communication: a branding refreshment was developed, resulting in new attractive and NEB compliant names for the EIT Community NEB activities.
• Events: EIT Community Info session (online, April 2023), approval of application to become official side event at NEB Festival (submitted Sept. 2023), first in-person meeting of a NEB start-up cohort (Sept. 2023), first in-person meeting of graduated Connect and Co-create projects (Jan 2023).
• Political achievement for the cause: announcement of a NEB Mission in July 2023, after confirmed as Facility instead of Mission.
WP4- Supernovas We have developed a comprehensive program consisting of a diverse array of activities, all meticulously designed to cater to the needs and aspirations of women within the realms of investment and entrepreneurship. These activities serve as educational opportunities, offering free training programs crafted to train and empower women in these fields. Our initiatives also play a pivotal role in cultivating a positive brand image for the EIT, amplifying our social impact and commitment to gender equality. Some present novel elements:
• Training for female steam talent. Women2invest is the only programme of its kind focusing on Women + Steam + VC. second year 10 internships with funds highlighting: the overqualification of candidates, their unique profiles and the benefits of the programme for them.
• The collaboration with EIB and EIF has given light to the first report focusing on female led deeptech startups using a single database and interviewing female entrepreneurs.
• The DataRoom is the only platform where investors can access curated female-led startups.
Moreover, these activities serve as catalysts for the creation of a robust and interconnected community of female investors and entrepreneurs.

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