EIT Community RIS Hub in Spain
Accelerating Innovation and Strengthening Collaboration in Spain
According to the European Innovation Scoreboard, Spain is a moderate innovator with performance at 89.2% of the EU average. Performance is above the average of the moderate innovators and increasing at a rate higher than that of the EU (8.5% points), reducing the country´s performance gap to the EU.
Advancing the Spanish innovation ecosystem is vital for stimulating economic growth, job creation, and attaining sustainable development. A robust innovation environment encourages the creation of new ideas, products, and services, increasing the competitiveness of Spanish businesses globally. By investing in and backing local innovators, the country can attract foreign investments, generating an economic wealth cycle.
Furthermore, a booming innovation ecosystem promotes a culture of continuous learning, adaptability, and resilience within the workforce, preparing them to meet future challenges. This not only accelerates the nation´s technological progress but also ensures Spain´s agility and responsiveness to dynamic market demands.
Additionally, a vibrant innovation community can address local challenges through creative solutions, enhancing both quality of life and societal well-being.
Essentially, nurturing the local innovation ecosystem is crucial for Spain’s socio-economic development, positioning the country as an active member of the global market.
About the EIT Community RIS Hub
The EIT Community RIS Hub in Spain is dedicated to nurturing innovation to drive economic prosperity and societal well-being. It catalyzes local innovators, offering support and resources to boost the competitiveness of businesses and attract foreign investments. By fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, the Hub aims to address local challenges and contribute to the country’s socio-economic development on a global scale.
The Hub comprises all EIT´s Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) in Spain: EIT Climate-KIC, EIT Culture and Creativity, EIT Digital, EIT Food, EIT Health, EIT Innoenergy, EIT Manufacturing, EIT RawMaterials, EIT Urban Mobility, each contributing to the country´s sector-specific advancements and Smart Specialization Strategy. The hub ensures the representation of all KICs, promotes active participation of a wide group of stakeholders in EIT’s activities and aims at strengthening cooperation among companies, institutions, and EIT KICs in the country.
Serving as a central source of information for the innovation community in Spain, the hub will provide insight into various services and opportunities in the fields of education, business development and innovation offered by the EIT community in Spain through this site and via our LinkedIn page.
“Through the newly established EIT Community RIS Hub in Spain, the nine Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) present in the country will continue to serve as a key link between the education, research, business and government sectors. The hub will reinforce the national innovation ecosystem by strengthening cooperation among these local actors and connecting them with the EIT´s pan-European ecosystem. It will also function as an access point for the local talent and entrepreneurs to benefit from the EIT Community´s opportunities and resources in the fields of education, business creation and innovation across the nine thematic areas of the KICs. As the ECO for Spain, I will represent and raise the visibility of the EIT Community, facilitate cross-KIC coordination and enable connections among the local innovation actors so that impactful collaborations and innovative solutions can be driven”.
LAURA OVIES DIAZ, EIT COMMUNITY OFFICER SPAIN
EIT Funding & Impact
Spain received a total of EUR 56,49 million in EIT grants in 2022. This amount is EUR 13.38 million higher than the funding received in 2021, and it was directed to Spanish organizations via eight EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities in 2022. The largest share (EUR 22 million) was dedicated to business related activities. The funding included EUR 14.33 million to support Spanish SMEs, mainly under EIT Urban Mobility and EIT Health.
About the EIT Community Officer
Ms. Laura Ovies Diaz
EIT Community Officer Spain
Ms. Laura Ovies Diaz is a committed environmental scientist with over 16 years of international experience in sustainability, corporate responsibility, project management and communications. She has worked across different sectors such as health, food and energy at big corporations, non-profit organizations and consulting firms. During her career, innovation has played a key role when advising organizations on how to operate on a responsible and sustainable way.As the National EIT Community Officer, Laura´s main goal is to unlock the full potential of the Spanish innovation ecosystem by fostering collaboration and leveraging the opportunities and resources provided by EIT.
Contact Details
- Email: spain@eitcommunity.eu
- Phone: +34699179791