European Innovation Council

The European Innovation Council’s work programme is finally out. There will be equity investments of up to €15M-plus for start-ups, but EIC is about to lose full control over this fund and some MEPs are unhappy

The EIC’s investment arm is caught up in legal difficulties and infighting at the Commission. Start-ups and SMEs promised equity funding face ‘massive uncertainty’ and will have to wait months into 2022 to get the cash

As the latest data underline the extent of the gender gap, leading figures debate what to do about the loss of talent this represents. A declaration backed by member states blames ‘outdated gender norms’ and ‘unfair hierarchies and power structures’

With the EU falling behind the US and China in the global innovation race, the forum aims to tackle bottlenecks and work on coherent innovation policies. But as US investors sweep up European assets, the critical gap is funding for scale-up

The board will meet for the first time next week, following the first EIC summit in Brussels

New applicants will now have to wait until October to have full bids for funding assessed by the EU’s start-up fund. Entrepreneurs are not happy

Small and medium-sized companies can apply for grants of up to €2.5M and direct equity investments of up to €15M in the first calls

After a three-year pilot phase, the EIC emerges fully formed, with €1.5B to invest in innovation this year and calls for proposals launching today

Commission launches scheme aiming to close the gender gap in the male-dominated EU innovation ecosystem

EU commissioner for research and innovation announces Women TechEU, an EIC-led initiative that will offer coaching, mentoring and funding to promising female tech entrepreneurs.