The Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) are public-private partnerships which bring together actors from research, higher education and industry. The KICs will form the Institute’s operational base and their goal is to stimulate innovation in Europe.

KICs are designed to be engines of ideas, technology, culture and entrepreneurship that will generate new business for industry, including SMEs. One of their key tasks will be to foster entrepreneurial activity across traditional borders, sectors and disciplines. The Institute’s remit is to drive forward Europe’s growth and competitiveness while stimulating innovation that has a positive impact on the economy and society at large.

The themes of the first call are: sustainable energy; climate change mitigation and adaptation; and the future of the information and communication society. They have been selected to address some of Europe’s current key challenges.

Deadline for submission of proposals is 27 August 2009. Selection of the first two or three KICs will take place by the end of the year.