The EIT Community will boost innovation in the Western Balkans region by opening the first joint regional hub in Skopje, North Macedonia. By connecting regional actors, innovators, and partners to Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem, the new EIT Community RIS Hub – the first of its kind – will strengthen cooperation among leading business, education and research organisations while increasing the region’s competitiveness and sustainable economic growth. The new Hub is part of the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT RIS) programme designed to tackle Europe’s persistent innovation divide.

The new hub is being launched at the Centre for Technology Transfer and Innovation in Skopje, North Macedonia, with local stakeholders and distinguished guests.

Fatimir Bytyqi, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Economic Affairs said: “Given their expertise and presence across Europe, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology is uniquely positioned to support us in increasing our innovation capacities and creating stronger synergies among regional partners. I look forward to seeing new ground-breaking technologies emerge and new opportunities for entrepreneurs in North Macedonia.”

Nektarios Tavernarakis, Chair of the EIT Governing Board added: “We are delighted to open the EIT Community’s first joint hub in North Macedonia. Because of the region's talent pool and economic strengths, particularly in smart agriculture, and information and communications technologies, the Western Balkans is an important region for the EIT Community. We aim to increase access to EIT opportunities through the new hub and to strengthen the innovation capacity of North Macedonia. We anticipate many success stories to be born here and scale towards the European market.”

The newly opened hub in North Macedonia will represent all the EIT’s Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) and focus on attracting and engaging an increasing number of North Macedonian participants into EIT Community activities. The hub will provide innovators with a centralised source of information on all services and opportunities provided by the entire EIT Community, both locally and more widely. Additionally, it will spearhead the EIT Community’s engagement with local authorities, including providing policy support and expertise as required. The EIT has appointed Mr. Aleksandar Stamboliev as a National Secretary to lead the operations of the new hub. He brings over 20 years of experience in the start-up and technology field, and is currently the CEO of BAU Accelerator, committed to helping technology startups scale globally.  

The launch of the hub in North Macedonia is the first of such regional hubs to open with more planned in the next three years to provide the EIT Community with a strengthened on-the-ground presence across the whole of Europe. Stay tuned for the EIT Community Day event happening in Nicosia, Cyprus on the 14 June, where the EIT will announce the calls for establishing similar innovation hubs in Cyprus, Malta, Montenegro, and Ukraine. All interested organisations are encouraged to apply to shape the EIT Community RIS Hubs in their respective regions.

What is the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)?

The EIT strengthens Europe’s ability to innovate by powering solutions to pressing global challenges and by nurturing entrepreneurial talent to create sustainable growth and skilled jobs in Europe. The EIT is an EU body and an integral part of Horizon Europe, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

The Institute supports dynamic pan-European partnerships, EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities, among leading companies, research labs and universities. Together with their leading partners, the EIT Community offers a wide range of innovation and entrepreneurship activities across Europe: entrepreneurial education courses, business creation and acceleration services and innovation driven research projects.