The European Institute of Innovation and Technology launches new hub in Montenegro

Podgorica, Montenegro (24 May 2024) – The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, set the stage for a significant addition in the innovation landscape of Montenegro with the official launch of the EIT Community RIS Hub. The Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) is a special EIT programme for regions of the EU and neighboring countries categorised as ‘emerging’ or ‘moderate’ innovation ecosystems by the European Innovation Scoreboard. It is designed to facilitate their participation in the EIT Community and to share good practices and experiences emerging from the EIT Community activities. The RIS programme has been working for 10 years to overcome the geographic gap in innovation.

The launch event brought together local, regional and EU actors from the fields of science, education and business – innovators, researchers and policy makers to explore the new opportunities opened up by this initiative.

The Director of EIT, Mr. Martin Kern opened the meeting by presenting the institute and the work it does as Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem. The representative of the EU Delegation in Montenegro, Mr. Yngve Engstrom and the State Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, Mrs. Marijeta Barjaktarović Lanzardi also addressed the audience at the introduction of the event. They expressed the expectation that the EIT hub will complete the innovation support system through improved communication between the EIT institute and actors in Montenegro.

The event went beyond the borders of Montenegro because it brought together a significant number of participants from the region and the EU, either live or via the internet. The EIT has expressed a clear ambition to have a stronger presence in the Western Balkans – in line with EIT’s Regional Innovation Scheme, as demonstrated by the opening of a series of its EIT Community RIS hubs. EIT community hubs have already been opened in North Macedonia, Montenegro, Latvia, Malta, Cyprus and Ukraine, with more expected to be launched in the near future.  

Montenegrin business and academic community was familiarised with the range of opportunities offered by EIT Program managers from all EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), including EIT Digital, EIT Food, EIT Health, EIT InnoEnergy, EIT RawMaterials, EIT Urban Mobility and EIT Manufacturing, shared information and examples of how EIT programs contribute to solving challenges in areas such as climate change, energy, health, food, production, digitization, urban mobility, culture and creativity. Some of the beneficiaries of the EIT program also presented themselves, such as the Montenegrin startup BeBeep, who won the second prize in the urban mobility category at EIT Jumpstarter in 2022.

“The expansion of EIT’s activities in the Western Balkans indicates a growing innovation ecosystem in the region,” said Branka Žižić, Community Officer at the EIT Community RIS Hub of Montenegro, who had an introductory presentation on the role of the hub in supporting the community. “We are very pleased to be able to introduce Montenegrin talents to a wide range of EIT Community initiatives and encourage cooperation across Europe, acting from a local level and respecting the context of our country and region.”

Within the other panels, which concerned strengthening the partnership with EIT, the largest European innovation network, facilitating access to the European market for small and medium-sized enterprises, and overcoming gaps in knowledge and skills – representatives of the EIT and domestic institutions, the Ministry of Economic Development, of the University of Montenegro, the Innovation Fund, the Science and Technology Park and the Capital City, touched upon numerous important topics, discussed barriers and good practices that can serve as inspiration.

It was concluded that the EIT model of connecting factors from the “knowledge triangle” that includes research, education and business – through thematically organised, diverse and effective support and networking mechanisms, can introduce a new and more effective dynamic in the cooperation of actors from Montenegro with European partners, as well as with each other in the country.

The event was also an occasion to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the governance of the EIT Community RIS Hubs, between the EIT Community RIS Hub Montenegro and the Innovation Fund of Montenegro as an institution which hosts the NCP for EIT. 

The hub launch event was realised respecting the principles of ecological events, taking into account the smallest possible carbon footprint. Thus, printing was done on paper on a modest scale, and the “green key” concept of the CUE event centre enabled minimal use of plastic and waste generation, as well as its circular treatment.

If you’re interested in delving deeper into the EIT’s offerings and discovering how it can support you on your innovation or entrepreneurial journey, please reach out to the EIT Community RIS HUB Montenegro: