Deadline Date: July 15, 2026
The EIT Regional Innovation Booster is a flagship initiative launched by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) to support start-ups and scale-ups in emerging and moderate innovator countries by helping them achieve commercial success, expand internationally, and attract investment.
The programme focuses on reducing fragmentation in Europe’s innovation ecosystem by aligning local, national, and EU-level initiatives into a seamless entrepreneurial support pathway. It offers strategic country-by-country investment, tailored venture-specific support packages, technical de-risking, go-to-market planning, regulatory readiness, commercial partnerships, ecosystem alignment, internationalisation support, and access to Europe’s innovation networks. The Malta edition is delivered in partnership with Xjenza Malta and is aligned with Malta’s national research and innovation priorities.
The EIT Regional Innovation Booster was initially launched in Poland in 2025 as a pre-pilot and is now expanding to additional Member States, including Malta and Hungary. Through this initiative, the EIT plans to invest at least €30 million by 2028 to support promising ventures with untapped innovation potential. The programme is designed to simplify access to support mechanisms by connecting existing funding schemes and innovation initiatives while ensuring long-term engagement with selected ventures beyond market entry. Selected ventures will receive expert support and grants of up to 90,000 EUR to enter and scale across target European markets – Italy, France, or Germany – with top performers gaining additional access to the UK market.
The initiative provides customised support rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. Selected companies benefit from assistance designed according to their business needs and growth stage. The programme also connects ventures to Europe’s leading innovation ecosystems and encourages stronger collaboration between national authorities, regional priorities, and industrial strategies.
To be eligible, applicants must be for-profit SMEs legally registered and operating in Malta before the call opening. Applications must be submitted by a single legal entity, as consortium submissions and sole traders are not eligible. Applicants must own the intellectual property rights or possess full exploitation rights for the solution being promoted. Additionally, the total grants previously received from EIT must not exceed €60,000.
For more information, visit EIT.
