EIT Manufacturing, the largest innovation network for manufacturing in Europe, is coming to Slovakia with the Slovakia X fund initiative. The goal is to accelerate the digital transformation of industry and better connect Slovak companies and research with the European innovation ecosystem. The project builds on a successful model from Austria and will be financed on a 50-50 basis.
EIT Manufacturing: who is driving change in manufacturing
Since 2020, EIT Manufacturing has operated as part of the knowledge and innovation communities supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) based in Budapest, which falls under the third pillar of the EU Horizon programme. The organization connects the “knowledge triangle” – innovation, education and entrepreneurship – so that ideas reach the market faster and industry has access to talent. It relies on a strong network of partners from industry, universities and research; among industrial names are, for example, the carmakers Volvo and Volkswagen and the robotics company KUKA. Headquarters are in Paris and the network of regional offices includes Darmstadt, Göteborg, Milan, San Sebastián, Athens and Vienna, which also oversees activities in Slovakia.
Austrian experience as a model: the MIET project
In Austria, in cooperation with the ministries of economy and environment, the flagship project MIET was created with the goal of faster engagement of industry, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, in the European innovation network. Funding is set evenly: half is paid by the Austrian government and half by EIT Manufacturing. Seven types of activities are covered – from networking and matchmaking between startups and corporations, through coaching, to the promotion of innovation infrastructure such as testbeds and learning factories. This framework has proven to be a practical way to accelerate technology adoption and share know-how across sectors.
Slovakia X fund: goals, activities, and opportunities for companies
In Slovakia, an agreement was concluded in September with the Ministry of Investments, Informatization and Regional Development to create the EIT Manufacturing Slovakia X fund. The project is to be implemented from January through the end of 2025 with 50-50 parity co-financing and with the ambition to extend and expand activities. The main goal is to improve digital transformation processes in industry through seven activities. These include, for example, the Industry App innovative technologies competition, the transfer of innovations between Slovakia and Europe, sharing European experience, and supporting cooperation between researchers and public administration.
In addition to participating within the fund, Slovak companies can also collaborate bilaterally with EIT Manufacturing. As a supplementary instrument, innovation vouchers from the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency are planned, which, according to the speaker, should be provided again from next year. Although it is a “drop in the ocean”, the initiative has the potential to advance the digitalization of enterprises and connect Slovak industry and research with the European market and partners.
