The EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative was recently highlighted in a collaborative article between the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the EU Observer.
The article explained that the EIT’s Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) long-term strategy and presence on the ground is key to their success, which differentiates them from other EU-level innovation instruments, as each KIC has offices all over Europe and, as such, can develop a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in their field.
As one of the first three KICs to be set up by EIT in 2010, EIT Digital, which is involved in the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative, was featured as it has become an authority in the field of digital innovation in Europe, having supported and launched many successful businesses over the last 15 years, and has a number of different programmes aimed at bringing new technology to the market.
Highlighting the crucial role the EIT KICs play in supporting public policy, and maintaining strong relations with the EU Commission and the relevant Directorate Generals (DG), Adam Rottenbacher, EIT Head of Operations, explained that the interaction between the EU and the KICs works both ways: “The DG informs the KICs on the latest policy changes and priorities so they can select innovation projects that address emerging policy needs, and the KICs are practitioners who work on the ground with innovators, companies, etc., and can feed their experience back to the policy makers at the EU Commission.”
The EIT’s unique value is that it can bring the best of both worlds together, connecting the public with the private sector, and the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative is a perfect example.
On the EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative’s aim to skill one million people in Europe in deep tech fields (ranging from AI, to biotechnology, to quantum computing, etc.) from 2022 to 2025, Adam Rottenbacher said:
“In order to reach this very ambitious aim, we launched a call to others in Europe to join us and provide their training programmes on this platform, e.g., training providers, companies who are working in deep tech, etc. We already have more than 900,000 pledged talents, some of these 900,000 are being trained by KICs themselves, and some by other organisations who have joined us in this quest.”
EIT Digital also plays an important role in the Initiative, bringing the deep tech players to the table. Federico Menna, CEO, EIT Digital, explained: “If you think of the top technical universities in Europe, most of them are our partners. Deep tech really is something where we feel Europe has something to say. Although we are lagging behind in several fields, I think Europe has the potential to grow and compete with the US and China. But we cannot win everywhere, so we have to focus on areas where Europe can excel – and I think deep tech can really become a game changer in the near future where Europe can compete.”
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