Poland Hosts EIT’s Regional Innovation Booster Pilot to Help Close Europe’s Innovation Gap
EITThe European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology of Poland have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch the EIT Regional Innovation Booster (EIT RIB) pilot in Poland.
This new cooperation is a significant step forward in strengthening innovation capacity across the EU by helping reduce regional disparities and supporting high-potential startups in emerging innovation ecosystems.
The EIT Regional Innovation Booster is a new flagship initiative of the EIT, offering targeted support to startups and scaleups in modest and moderate innovator countries, helping them grow towards commercial success, access international markets, and attract further investment. With a view to launching a broader pilot in at least four countries from 2026, followed by full roll-out from 2029, Poland will host the pilot phase of the EIT RIB in 2025. The EIT RIB programme, developed together with national authorities, will simplify and connect Europe’s innovation support landscape. It will create country-specific support ecosystems by connecting existing funding and initiatives, offering the most promising start-ups a seamless path to commercial success and internationalisation. The EIT plans to invest at least €30 million in piloting the EIT RIB until 2028.
Poland is ready to lead innovation in the region — and the Regional Innovation Booster will help us do just that. It will empower our entrepreneurs, scaleup our ventures, and give Polish innovation the visibility and support it needs to thrive across Europe and beyond.
Michał Jaros, Secretary of State at the Minister of Economic Development and Technology of Poland
We are excited to expand our cooperation with Poland whose vibrant innovation ecosystem and strong ambition make it an ideal launchpad for the Regional Innovation Booster. By combining our community’s expertise with Poland’s strengths, we will build stronger pathways for startups to succeed.
Martin Kern, Director of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology
The pilot phase will focus on ecosystem mapping, startup selection and mentoring, internationalisation support, and strategic alignment with Poland’s smart specialisation priorities. A joint EIT–Poland Task Force will oversee the implementation of the programme.
This new phase of cooperation will also be supported by the opening of the EIT Community Hub in Warsaw in May 2025 — strengthening the EIT Community’s presence to boost local engagement and enhance coordination with the EIT’s wider network.
The EIT and Poland
Poland has emerged as one of the EIT’s strongest cooperation partners, benefiting from extensive support through the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT RIS). The new EIT Regional Innovation Booster will now provide deeper, more integrated support to help ventures grow and ecosystems scale.
Between 2023 and 2025, over €32 million in EIT grants have been committed to Polish entities, including €2.7 million directed specifically to SMEs. Currently, 79 Polish organisations are participating in EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) projects.
Moreover, between 2021 and 2023, the EIT supported the creation of 285 ventures, engaged 7,612 Polish participants in education and training activities, and helped launch 31 innovations through EIT-backed ventures based in Poland.
Building on this track record, the EIT Regional Innovation Booster aims to reduce fragmentation in Europe’s innovation landscape by aligning local, national, and EU-level initiatives into a seamless entrepreneurial support pathway — particularly in countries with untapped innovation potential.
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