Commission launches the European Innovation Council Board with 20 leading innovators

Today, the European Commission announced the members of the new European Innovation Council Board. The Board will be composed of 20 leading innovators – entrepreneurs, investors and venture capitalists, corporate leaders, researchers and academics – who will guide the implementation of the European Innovation Council (EIC). The EIC is Europe’s flagship innovation programme with a budget of €10 billion to support game-changing innovations throughout the lifecycle from early-stage research to the financing and scale up of start-ups and SMEs. The Board’s members will advise on the EIC strategy, work programme and thematic portfolios to maximise impact and may also advise on broader innovation policy matters. Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Research, Innovation, Culture, Education and Youth, said: ”I welcome the appointment of 20 innovators to the new EIC Board. I am looking forward to meeting with them at the EIC Summit next week and to working together on Europe’s most ambitious innovation programme.”The EIC Board’s first meeting on 26 November will follow the EIC Summit that will take place on 24 and 25 November in Brussels. The European Commission has just also published the vacancy for the EIC Board Presidentand is inviting outstanding innovation leaders to apply by 17 December. The role of the President is a full-time post to provide leadership to the EIC and chair the new Board. More information is available on the EIC website, here and here.