Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC):

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) acts primarily by creating knowledge and innovation communities throughout the continent. These Knowledge and Innovation Communities bring together higher education institutions, research organisations and enterprises that provide the basis of cooperation. 25% of the costs of such long-term R&D partnerships is covered by the EIT, while the rest is raised by the partnerships.

In the frame of relevant EIT actions, KIC partnerships have been established in the following focus areas:

• EIT Climate-KIC
  
• EIT Digital
  
• EIT Food
  
• EIT Health
  
• EIT InnoEnergy
  
• EIT Raw Materials
  

There are various roles and positions attached to the KIC members within the partnership structure. Some of them are defined by the EIT calls as being decisive in the KIC activities (founding members such as core/affiliate/formal partners, co-location centres, associate partners/clusters) while others are positioned at lower levels of the KIC (network members such as associated partners, network partners).

The RDI activity of the KICs however is not limited to founding and network partners. Partnerships may involve further organisations (cooperation partners) to collaborate with.

Thematic KIC consortia built on the knowledge triangle may operate along different methodologies but they all have the following activities in common: 

Support to innovative businesses

Mentoring and business coaching of start-ups and their solutions.

R&D and innovation projects

• The KIC supports advance and commercialise corporate technologies.
  
• Besides providing funds, the KIC supports market entry also with professional environment and partners.
  
• Implementation should include at least 2 other partners, at least one of them with responsibility for marketing.
  

Training

• MSc and Phd education
  
• Postgradual trainings, entrepreneurship skills
  
• Alumni and career management
  
• Summer universities, thematic workshops
  
• Exchange of researchers, mobility
  
• Using EURAXESS network to receive and send researchers
  

EIT Regional Innovation Scheme

The Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) of the EIT aims to include less developed EU regions int he KIC activities in order to strengthen their innovation capacities.

EIT achievements in figures:

• 1,217 business ideas mentored
  
• 213 start-ups supported
  
• 723 technology transfers supported
  
• 212 new or further developed procedures/services implemented
  

Hungarian participation in the EIT KICs:

Not as core members but Hungarian organisations are indirectly involved in all of the KICs:

• Climate-KIC (Climate change mitigation and adaptation)
  BME
  Bioenergia Kompetencia Központ
  Iparfejlesztési Közalapítvány
  Debreceni Egyetem
  
• EIT Digital (Future Information and Communications Technologies)
  BME
  ELTE
  Ericsson Hungary Ltd.
  Magyar Telekom NyRt.
  
• EIT Health (Healthy living and active ageing)
  GE Healthcare
  Semmelweis Egyetem
  Debreceni Egyetem
  GYEMSZI
  
• EIT Raw Materials (Sustainable exploration, extraction, processing, recycling and substitution)
  Aluinvent Zrt.
  Bay Zoltán Alkalmazott Kutatási Non-profit Kft.
  
• KIC InnoEnergy (Sustainable energy)
  Bay Zoltán Alkalmazott Kutatási Non-profit Kft.