European Innovation Council impact report 2021 and other news from the world of EIC

CZELO

The European Commission has released the EIC impact report 2021. The newly published report documents the results and impact of the EIC pilot phase up to 2020. During that period, the EIC supported 5500 start-ups and SMEs of which over 20 % of those awarded funding in 2020, have a female CEO, which is more than twice as much as during the previous period. Supported projects managed to crowd- in EUR 9.6 billion in follow on investments, primarily from Venture Capital, but also from corporates, national promotional banks, and others.

EIC Impact Report

Overall, the EIC supported research projects have generated so far over 800 innovations. EIC also contributes significantly to the realization of green and digital transformation. More than 90 % of projects supported through the EIC Accelerator focus on creating innovations that contribute to at least one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The full report is available on the European Commission's website.

The report was presented at the European Innovation Council summit which took place in Brussels on 24 and 25 November 2021.

At the same time, the winners of this year's EU Prize for Women Innovators and the European Capital of Innovation were announced. The EU Prize for Women Innovators is awarded to the most talented women entrepreneurs from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have founded a successful company and brought innovation to the market. They winners will receive a EUR 100 000 cash prize each.

The winners, selected by a jury of independent experts, are:

  • Merel Boers from the Netherlands: co-founder and CEO of NICO-LAB, a company offering cutting-edge technology to help physicians improve emergency care.
  • Mathilde Jakobsen from Denmark: co-founder and CEO of Fresh.Land, a digital platform that shortens and digitises the food supply chain, providing easy access to good quality food.
  • Daphne Haim Langford from Israel: founder and CEO of Tarsier Pharma, a company developing disruptive medical solutions for the treatment and cure of autoimmune and inflammatory ocular diseases.

Furthermore, the Rising Innovator 2021 prize, awarded to an exceptional innovator under the age of 30, has been granted to Ailbhe and Isabel Keane from Ireland, founders of Izzy Wheels.