EIT Community Hub in Spain
Spain: An Innovation Ecosystem in Evolution
Spain continues to strengthen its position in the European innovation landscape. According to the European Innovation Scoreboard 2026, the country remains in the Moderate Innovators group, with innovation performance equivalent to 94% of the EU average and ranking 14th among the 27 EU Member States. Since 2019, Spain’s innovation performance has increased by 14.1 percentage points, outpacing the progress recorded by the EU over the same period.
Among Spain’s main strengths are digitalisation and human capital, together with strong performance in selected indicators related to sustainability and the ability to bring innovations to market. Spain also performs well in areas such as sales of innovative products, resource productivity and venture capital.
At the same time, challenges remain in closing the gap with Europe’s leading innovators, particularly in areas such as business R&D investment, the generation of intellectual property assets and knowledge-intensive services. Strengthening the links between research, innovation and the market, as well as collaboration between businesses, universities, research centres and public authorities, will be key to further progress.
About the EIT Community Hub
The EIT Community Hub Spain is the EIT Community’s access and connection point for Spain’s innovation ecosystem. Its objective is to bring EIT Community opportunities, knowledge and networks closer to companies, startups, universities, research centres, public authorities and other ecosystem actors, facilitating their participation in European innovation programmes and initiatives.
The Hub represents the EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) in a cross-cutting manner and works in close coordination with their representatives in Spain. Through this collaboration, it facilitates connections between national and European actors, identifies organisations and projects with the potential to participate in EIT opportunities, and promotes joint initiatives that strengthen cooperation across sectors and innovation areas.
In addition to disseminating opportunities in innovation, entrepreneurship, funding, education and talent development, the Hub provides guidance to organisations interested in engaging with the EIT Community and collaborates with public authorities, business networks, universities, technology centres and other multiplier organisations to extend its reach across Spain.
As part of the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT RIS), the Hub also pays particular attention to connecting ecosystems with strong potential to benefit from EIT opportunities, including the Canary Islands as an EU Outermost Region, helping to strengthen their links with European innovation networks.
“The EIT Community Hub Spain works to bring EIT Community opportunities closer to Spain’s innovation ecosystem and to connect its actors with one of Europe’s largest innovation networks. Our aim is to help companies, startups, universities, research centres, public authorities and other organisations identify the EIT opportunities most relevant to them and use them to develop new ideas, collaborations and projects.
As EIT Community Officer for Spain, my role is to represent the EIT Community in the country, coordinate collaboration across its different communities and act as a connection point with the national ecosystem. A fundamental part of my work is understanding where the EIT Community can add the greatest value and connecting the right organisations with the opportunities, partners and networks that can help them move forward.”
LAURA OVIES DIAZ, EIT COMMUNITY OFFICER SPAIN
EIT Funding & Impact
Between 2021 and 2025, the EIT Community supported Spain’s innovation ecosystem through its different communities and programmes.
During this period, Spanish organisations received EUR 285 million in EIT grants. The EIT Community also contributed to the creation and support of 1,076 ventures, while 70,683 people participated in education and training activities.
This support also translated into concrete innovation outcomes: 224 innovations were launched by EIT-supported ventures, and 376 Spanish organisations participated as partners in EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities.
These figures reflect the reach of the EIT Community in Spain and its contribution to innovation, entrepreneurship, education and talent development.
About the EIT Community Officer
Ms. Laura Ovies Diaz
EIT Community Officer Spain
Laura Ovies Diaz holds a degree in Environmental Sciences and has nearly 20 years of professional experience in sustainability, project management and coordination, communications and public affairs, and stakeholder engagement.
Throughout her career, she has worked across the private, consulting and non-profit sectors, coordinating international projects and initiatives and collaborating with companies, public authorities, international organisations, universities and civil society organisations. Her experience includes initiatives developed in collaboration with the United Nations and other international organisations, as well as work across sectors including food, health and energy.
Currently, as EIT Community Officer for Spain, she works to connect Spain’s innovation ecosystem with the opportunities, networks and resources of the EIT Community, facilitating collaboration across its different communities and promoting the participation of Spanish organisations in European innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives.
Contact Details
- Email: spain@eitcommunity.eu
- Phone: +34699179791
- Address: Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia Lekandene. Laida Bidea 214. 48170 Zamudio (Bizkaia) Spain
- LinkedIn: EIT Community Hub Spain
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