European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), EIT Higher Education InitiativeGrant

Up to €1.25M University Innovation Grant

Jan 13, 2027 17:00:00 Europe/Brussels

Opportunity type

Grant

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Jan 13, 2027 17:00:00 Europe/Brussels

About this opportunity

The EIT Higher Education Initiative, run by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology with six of its Knowledge and Innovation Communities, funds university-led consortia to build innovation and entrepreneurship capacity in deep tech and manufacturing. Each project can receive up to EUR 1.25 million for 18 months of institutional change, from leadership and technology transfer to entrepreneurship education for STEM students.

What you get:

A grant of up to EUR 1,250,000 per project, covering up to 100 percent of eligible costs
25 percent of the grant paid up front as pre-financing
18 months of funding, 1 May 2027 to 31 October 2028
Cohort support from the EIT HEI team: an in-person IVAP workshop, system innovation training, KIC Discovery Days, DEI training and investment-readiness sessions
Membership of the EIT HEI Community and links to the EIT innovation ecosystem

What you'll do:

Each HEI completes the HEInnovate self-assessment and the consortium writes an Innovation Vision Action Plan
Deliver exactly eight Funded Actions across five Impact Domains, from institutional change and partnerships to innovation and entrepreneurship education
Work with two or three EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities and meet the mandatory EIT HEI KPIs
Submit a DEI Value Statement and Action Plan and a Community Engagement Plan by month 3

Key dates:

Call opened 20 October 2026
Online info sessions 4 November to 3 December 2026 (CET)
Submissions close 13 January 2027, 17:00 CET
Evaluation results in the week of 22 March 2027
Projects run 1 May 2027 to 31 October 2028

More information:

The Call Text is the legally binding document; FAQs, a project design guide and templates are on the call page
A matchmaking platform helps applicants find consortium partners
General enquiries: hei@eitrawmaterials.eu

Who can apply

A consortium of at least five funded beneficiaries (organisations, not individuals)
At least three HEIs from three different Horizon Europe eligible countries, at least one of them in an EU Member State
Each HEI must involve at least two faculties, departments or equivalent units and provide proof of national accreditation
At least two business or industry partners, or industry representative organisations
The lead partner and project coordinator must be an HEI
Funded partners must be established in an EU Member State, an associated Overseas Country or Territory, a country associated to Horizon Europe, or certain low and middle income countries
Every funded partner needs a PIC from the EU Participant Register before submitting
An organisation can be a funded beneficiary in only one proposal
Organisations funded under EIT HEI Call 2025 (Cohort 5) cannot be funded beneficiaries

AI Verification

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Good to know

+Up to EUR 1.25 million per project from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology
+Covers up to 100 percent of eligible costs, with 25 percent paid up front
+No fee to apply

Worth checking yourself

!No co-financing is required, but the grant reimburses costs actually spent rather than paying a lump sum, and can be lower than requested
!Only consortia led by a university can apply: at least three universities from three eligible countries, one in the EU, plus at least two business partners
!Partners must be in the EU, a Horizon Europe associated country or certain low and middle income countries
!Closes 13 January 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time; EIT calls its timeline indicative
!Organisations funded in the 2025 call cannot be funded partners

Sources checked

EIeit-hei.euApplyEIeit-hei.euApplyEIeit-hei.euApplyEIeit-hei.euApply

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