EIT and Xjenza Malta Launch the EIT Regional Innovation Booster in Malta to Scale Startups Internationally
EITThe European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), together with Xjenza Malta, has launched the EIT Regional Innovation Booster in Malta to help high-potential startups expand into international markets. Malta is the second country to join the initiative, following its launch in Poland last year. The programme aims to strengthen innovation ecosystems in emerging and moderate innovator countries across Europe.
The EIT Regional Innovation Booster is a flagship pilot initiative designed to address Europe’s innovation gap by providing tailored, place-based support to emerging and moderate innovator countries. The Malta edition focuses on startups with technologies already tested in relevant environments and ready to scale in the fields of climate, culture and creativity, digital, food and agritech, healthcare, energy and renewables, raw materials and urban mobility. The programme targets startups ready for commercialisation and international growth.
This is not just another accelerator, but a scheme co-created with national partners to tackle the real needs of local innovation ecosystems. Europe doesn’t lack innovation – it lacks scale. With the EIT Regional Innovation Booster, we help startups move faster from strong ideas to real market presence. Malta shows how smaller ecosystems can play a big role when given the right tools, connections and locally grounded support to grow internationally.
Adam Rottenbacher, Head of Operations at the EIT
Malta is actively shaping its future as a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship and talent-driven growth. Achieving this requires more than simply supporting research in isolation. It requires creating the right pathways for researchers, innovators and idea holders to transform knowledge into applicable solutions, sustainable enterprises and scalable opportunities.
Dr. Melchior Cini, Director R&I at Xjenza Malta
Scale-up Support Provided in Three Stages
The programme is structured in three stages, with a competitive selection process at each step. Up to 12 startups will be selected in the first evaluation round to participate in Stage 1 and its bootcamps, which focus on market readiness and strategy. This stage combines on-site and online sessions to help startups refine their value proposition for one of three target markets – Italy, Germany or France – and prepare for international growth with support from mentors and peer feedback.
Following the first stage, up to six startups will advance to Stage 2, which focuses on market entry and commercial execution. Participants will gain access to industry connections, potential clients and partners, alongside dedicated mentoring. They will also become eligible for a subgrant of €50 000, subject to the submission of the required deliverables and the signing of a financial support agreement.
Finally, up to four startups will be selected for Stage 3, focused on international exposure and investor scouting. Through targeted matchmaking opportunities, participants will benefit from the EIT’s Europe-wide network, connect with key EU ecosystem players and receive feedback to support efficient expansion. At this stage, startups may receive a subgrant of €40 000 under the same conditions. Participants may also have the opportunity to access an additional market with tailored support from the EIT and Xjenza Malta.
How to Apply
Eligible applicants must be SMEs, as defined in EU Recommendation 2003/361, legally registered and operating in Malta before the call launch, applying as a single entity, with a solution at TRL 7 or higher, and holding ownership of, or full rights to exploit, the intellectual property. The call for applications opens on 14 May 2026 and closes on 15 July 2026 at 23:59 CEST. Applications must be submitted in English through the online application form. More information about the programme is available here.
About Xjenza Malta
Xjenza Malta is Malta’s national public agency responsible for promoting and supporting scientific research, technological development, and innovation. It plays a central role in strengthening the country’s research ecosystem by funding projects, facilitating collaboration between academia and industry, and aligning national priorities with European research and innovation strategies. Through a range of funding programmes, support mechanisms, and practical tools, Xjenza Malta actively drives projects from concept to market, helping innovators and researchers translate ideas into viable products and services. By fostering innovation uptake and commercialisation, the agency enhances Malta’s competitiveness, addresses societal challenges, and contributes to sustainable economic growth, while also ensuring strong participation in European research and innovation initiatives.
What is the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT RIS)?
The EIT Regional Innovation Booster is part of the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT RIS), launched in 2014 to enhance innovation performance in countries with ‘emerging’ or ‘modest’ innovation scores according to the European Innovation Scoreboard. The RIS is managed by the EIT and implemented through its KICs.
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