New EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community will focus on water, marine, and maritime sectors and ecosystems
The Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) will be part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and will aim to tackle the key challenges in the water, marine and maritime fields.
Current key challenges
The Staff Working Document analyses the key challenges faced by water, marine and maritime sectors and ecosystems.
It is supported and accompanied by an independent study which overviews recent developments in scientific, technological and socio-economic trends.
The document confirms that despite efforts and progress, the key challenges identified in the EIT Strategic Innovation Agenda still persist. These challenges are:
- water scarcity, droughts, and floods
- marine and freshwater degradation
- transition to a sustainable blue economy
In this context, the European Commission confirms a new EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) as the right EU instrument to make this overarching collaborative approach a success.
Mission of the Knowledge and Innovation Community
To address these key challenges, the community will take a holistic and collaborative approach.
It will build an innovation ecosystem at European level by bringing together education institutions, research organisations and businesses with water, marine and maritime expertise.
Next steps
In 2025, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will publish a call for proposals for this new Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) on water, marine, and maritime sectors and ecosystems. The KIC will become active in 2026.
About the European Institute of Innovation and Technology
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is Europe’s largest innovation network and in the top 10 of start-up accelerators worldwide.
Since its creation in 2008, the institute has contributed to Europe's ability to innovate by powering solutions to pressing global challenges and by nurturing entrepreneurial talent to create sustainable growth and skilled jobs in Europe.
The EIT is an EU body and an integral part of Horizon Europe, the EU framework programme for research and innovation.