Excellence Hubs

Excellence hubs are part of the European Excellence Initiative and complement the science-oriented schemes Teaming, Twinning, ERA Chairs and the European Excellence Initiative for universities by a dedicated innovation component. Excellence hubs will focus on innovation by allowing innovation ecosystems in Widening countries and beyond, to team up and create better linkages between academia, business, government and society. This will foster a real place-based innovation culture in Widening countries based on a strategic agenda aligned with regional or national smart specialisation strategies. In this context, synergies will be sought with the programme parts on European Innovation Ecosystems, EIC pathfinder and the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) as well as the initiative ‘Partnerships for Regional Innovation’ run by the JRC. The excellence hubs will be the basis in Widening countries of the pan-European Innovation Ecosystem of the new Innovation Agenda for Europe. The proposal should also demonstrate the win-win effects of the partnership established by the consortium and the benefits for employment and post crisis recovery.

Projects should contribute to the following outcomes:

• Excellent and sustainable place-based R&I ecosystems in Widening countries and beyond in relevant domains of cutting-edge science and innovation;
• Long term joint R&I strategies underpinned by concrete action plans of European relevance;
• Common investment plans for R&I including infrastructures leveraging national, regional and European funds as well as private capital in a synergetic manner;
• R&I pilot projects alongside a joint strategy and in line with regional and national strategies, notably regional innovation strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3) taking into account the new Innovation Agenda for Europe;
• New competencies and skills for researchers, entrepreneurs and professionals in R&I intensive domains;
• Strengthened linkages between science and business;
• Improved knowledge transfer and development of entrepreneurial skills;
• New business opportunities especially for SMEs, university spin-offs and start-ups, especially deep tech;
• Inclusion of emerging innovation ecosystems from rural areas, Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries including Ukraine by optional mentoring module;
• Contribute to EU-wide access to excellence, ERA Policy Agenda action 16.