EIT Regional Innovation Scheme report 2024

On 21 October 2025, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) published the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) report for 2024, marking 10 years of the EIT RIS. 

Since its launch in 2014, the EIT RIS has transformed from a programme focused on opening innovation to new regions into one of Horizon Europe's effective instruments for bridging Europe's innovation gap. In 2024, ventures supported in the EIT RIS area attracted over €216 million in investment, while more than 105,000 participants joined EIT training and education activities to develop entrepreneurial and innovation skills.

According to the report, the EIT RIS achievements include:

• 324,000 people skilled and upskilled through EIT education programmes;
• 6,500 ventures created and supported;
• €1.33 billion in EIT grants dedicated to the RIS area;
• €3.23 billion in investment attracted by EIT RIS-based, Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC)-backed ventures.

Across the RIS-eligible countries, the EIT Community supported 1,231 startups, and facilitated the launch of 219 new innovations onto the market. In 2024, start-ups and scale-ups in the EIT RIS area, supported by the EIT, attracted over €216 million in investment. The report also highlights the expansion of EIT RIS activities into regions, including Ukraine, Turkey, the Western Balkans, and the EU’s Outermost Regions.

As the EIT RIS enters its second decade, the EIT is preparing new tools to scale its impact. A network of EIT Community Hubs will act as one-stop shops for innovators, providing easier access to EIT services and opportunities. The EIT Regional Innovation Booster pilot will bring long-term support to promising early-stage ventures, ensuring they can grow into tomorrow’s scale-ups.

More information is in the EIT press release.