EIT scheme under fire over contract delays and summer start

European Institute of Innovation and Technology says contracts are coming and participants are being supported

A new entrepreneurship scheme launched by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology has come under fire from participants over its summer start and delays to the signing of contracts.

The EIT is an EU body that supports capacity building and knowledge exchange in networks of education, research and innovation organisations. It announced last month that its pilot Higher Education Institution Initiative will provide a total of up to €27.5 million to 23 consortia of 135 universities and 140 other research-performing organisations from 32 countries. Funding, coaching and access to the EIT’s innovation networks is intended to help the consortia improve their entrepreneurial activity, including through the creation of institution-wide action plans.