A partnership for innovation and culture
The multi-million Euro partnership will train the sectors’ future entrepreneurs, power its cutting-edge ventures and deliver innovative solutions to the challenges they face. It will bridge regional innovation gaps and harness the power of these sectors, as key drivers of economic growth and job creation, to support Europe’s cultural leadership.
‘Culture is not only our common language, it is also an innovating ecosystem,’ says Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner. ‘The new EIT Culture & Creativity Innovation Community will capitalise on the unique richness of European diversity to guarantee that creatives are ingrained in the pan-European Innovation Ecosystem. I look forward to observing the growth of this sector's innovators and start-ups under EIT's innovative approach, which has had a significant impact on the lives of Europeans over the previous decade.’
Along with our long-standing collaborative partner, Time Machine Organisation, Europeana Foundation is delighted to be a part of ICE - Innovation by Creative Economy, the consortium of partners that has won the bid to deliver this initiative.
Networks and partnerships
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has been strengthening Europe’s capacity to innovate since 2008. With a network of 3,000 partners and over 60 innovation hubs spanning the continent, the EIT is the largest innovation ecosystem of its kind. The announcement of the EIT Culture & Creativity brings the total number of EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities to nine.
Bernd Fesel, spokesperson for ICE- Innovation by Creative Economy, said: ‘We can’t wait to start work and to lay the foundation for our vision. Our 50 Partners across 20 nations have bold and brave ideas for the role of innovation in these sectors and industries and we are very much looking forward to uniting and excelling creatives with Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem.’
Harry Verwayen, General Director of the Europeana Foundation, said: ‘We are delighted to be part of EIT Culture & Creativity, which will create fantastic opportunities for both new and established professionals across the cultural and creative sectors. By joining forces with our long-standing colleagues at the Time Machine Organisation, and other institutions in the partnership, we will be able to share its benefits with the thousands of cultural heritage professionals in our joint networks.’
Frédéric Kaplan, President of the Time Machine Organisation, said: ‘With the new EIT Culture & Creativity the different players in this sector can look forward to a new era of collaboration, innovation and support. Time Machine Organisation is proud to be actively involved in this adventure, working side-by-side with our partner Europeana Foundation as members of EIT Culture & Creativity and reaching out to an ever-growing community of cultural and creative players, eager to advance the innovation in the European cultural heritage sector together with us!’