The four communities of Spanish innovation encouraged their alliance to boost competitiveness and sustainable growth

• The Botanical Garden of the University of Valencia has hosted the first meeting of the KICs that work on digital, health, energy and climate change areas.

The four knowledge and innovation communities (KICs) integrated in the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) with presence in Spain have gathered this morning at the Botanical Garden of the University of Valencia to promote their collaboration and bring together actions and sinergies to boost competitiveness and sustainable growth.

The meeting was held on the framework of the European Day and took place at the Botanical Garden of the University of Valencia, where Climate-KIC Spain facilities are based. At the session, besides the directors of these communities about digital, health, energy and climate change knowledge areas, also were attended by representatives of academic institutions -Universitat of Valencia, Polytechnic University of Valencia and Universitat Jaume I- of the Regional Ministry of Sustainable Economy, productive sectors, commerce and members of the Valencian Innovative ecosystem, including several affiliate partners of Climate-KIC.

Regarding the importance of this meeting that has brought in to “detect common synergies and future lines of collaboration among the KICs, since we have similar priorities, such as entrepreneurship, training, nurturing talent, increasing economic competitiveness and the commitment of sustainable growth”, said Jose-Luis Muñoz, Director of Climate-KIC Spain.

“In partnership, we can improve and optimize growth, welfare and European competitiveness. Even though we represent apparently different sectors and topics, we have found many points in common, not only in the structure and programmes, but also on areas where knowledge of complementary issues can boost real socio-technological innovation that our society are asking for” he also said.

THE ORIGIN OF KIC

These Innovation Networks, the KICs (Knowledge-Innovation-Comunity) are its acronym in English, were created by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in different subjects of interest for society.

Particularly, in 2010 climate change (Climate-KIC), whose Spanish center is based in Valencia, the ICT (EIT Digital) based in Madrid, and Energy (EIT InnoEnergy) whose headquarters Spanish is in Barcelona were launched at European level. In 2014 the KIC of Health (Health EIT) and raw materials (Raw Materials EIT), having the utility also Spanish headquarters in Barcelona, were joined to the EIT Community.

The EIT has the mission to increase European sustainable growth and competitiveness, reinforce the innovation capacity of the EU Member States, create the entrepreneurs of tomorrow and prepare for the next innovative breakthroughs.

For this reason, Climate-KIC Spain has taken the lead in convening the first meeting between the Spanish KICs for future collaborations and cooperation between businesses, educational and research institutions. It has been an unprecedented event in the EU with their counterparts in other countries.

Information photographs:

Meeting KICs. 01. Directors of the four KICs. Left to right: Manuel Hermenegildo, Director of EIT Digital, José Luis Muñoz, Director of Climate-KIC Spain, Marco Pugliese, Director of EIT Health and Mikel Lasa, Director of KIC InnoEnergy Iberia

Meeting KICs. 02. Attending the meeting of the four communities of knowledge of the EIT with Spanish representation.