Do we need a European Innovation Council?

Yet another innovation instrument could bring more red tape than practical help for entrepreneurs

Plans are underway to establish yet another European instrument to support innovation. This time, it will take the form of a new European Innovation Council (EIC). One suggestion, among others, is that it could take the form of an ERC-like EIC. This may, however, not lead to the creation of yet another institution. The new instrument is championed by Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Carlos Moedas. It aims to help create more disruptive innovation and to support the scaling up of start-up businesses at the European level.

By the end of April 2016, more than 1,000 stakeholders responded to Moedas’ call for ideas to design the proposed European Innovation Council. Respondents included universities, university associations, research funders and networks, businesses and industry associations. Together they contributed a total of 176 supporting documents. But how exactly the Council will reach its ambitious goal is still a matter of passionate debate. In this article, EuroScientist, explores the views of experts in innovation to understand where this new Council–which could become a reality in a pilot phase as early as 2018–would fit in the already crowded European innovation landscape…

Read more: http://www.euroscientist.com/european-innovation-council/#ixzz4BdFopVrR