Research and Innovation

24 September 2020

News of the day

Leuven is European Capital of Innovation 2020

The city of Leuven in Belgium is the European Capital of Innovation 2020. The award recognises Leuven’s excellent innovation concepts as well as processes and governance models creating a framework that brings ideas to life. The municipality will receive a €1,000,000 prize funded under Horizon 2020, the EU research and innovation programme. The five runner-up cities, Cluj-Napoca (Romania), Espoo (Finland), Helsingborg (Sweden), Valencia (Spain) and Vienna (Austria), will receive €100,000 each.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:

		Leuven is a mission-driven city that excels in innovative governance models. It offers its people an opportunity to get involved in critical decision-making processes. But it’s an honour to recognise the initiatives of all six winners. Their vibrant innovation ecosystems are an inspiration to all European cities.

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European Capital of Innovation award

EIC Horizon Prizes

EIC Horizon Prize on Affordable High-Tech for Humanitarian Aid: Commission awards five outstanding solutions

Five exceptional innovations that can make a big difference in the lives of the most vulnerable people around the world have won the award. The prize is funded under Horizon 2020, the EU research and innovation programme, as part of the European Innovation Council (EIC) pilot. It rewards the best, proven, cost-effective, technology-based solutions for humanitarian aid in five categories: shelter and related assistance; water, hygiene and sanitation; energy; health and medical care; and an open category.

Commissioner Gabriel congratulated the winners and said:

		These innovations clearly show how physical technologies such as sensors, solar panels or additive manufacturing can be combined with digital technologies to help those desperately in need, empower them, and improve resilience. I am very pleased to award this Prize both to well-established humanitarian organisations and to young, innovative companies that are dedicated to improving people’s lives.

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Affordable High-Tech for Humanitarian Aid prize

European Innovation Council

Commitment to ensure ‘systematic and structural cooperation’ between the EIC and the EIT

A Letter of Intent was signed today setting out a common objective between the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s first Knowledge and Innovation Communities - KICs (EIT Climate-KIC, EIT Digital and EIT InnoEnergy) (EIT), to maximise EU support for game-changing innovators and entrepreneurs across Europe.

Commissioner Gabriel said:

		Both the EIC, with its focus on high-risk, breakthrough technologies that have the potential to create new markets and the EIT, with its focus on combining education, research and innovation to empower innovators, have the same goals – to support innovators to develop and rapidly scale up innovative, sustainable solutions to global challenges in line with European values, creating high quality jobs and inclusive growth. Working better together can only achieve more, more effectively, faster.

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