About

DEEPSYNC is a pioneering platform designed to raise the profile of projects funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC). The initiative comes from the EIC Communities project funded under Horizon Europe.

The platform seeks to foster greater synergy in the deep tech community, to showcase innovation breakthroughs and to engage with policy makers, industry leaders and scientific innovators – all in all it’s an ecosystem for deep tech innovation and co-creation.

Furthermore, DEEPSYNC is fast becoming a bank of resources, insights and success stories from diverse projects, including news directly from the European Innovation Council (EIC) website. As such, it will be the go-to platform for anyone invested in the future of European innovation.

THE COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE

The DEEPSYNC Communities of Practice offer thematic, challenge-driven frameworks for EIC-funded projects and they serve as a platform for networking and sharing knowledge. Their aim is to increase the impact and reach of each project within the EIC ecosystem.

Cleantech: Dedicated to advancing sustainable technologies and solutions that address environmental challenges.

Industry: Focuses on driving innovation in the industrial sector, leveraging advanced technologies to revolutionise manufacturing, production, and more.

Health: Aims to foster breakthroughs in medical research and healthcare, to transform human wellbeing through new technologies.

The vibrant ecosystem of communities organises a range of activities such as workshops, webinars, skill development sessions and regular meetings. These are all meticulously planned to ensure that every innovator finds value, support, and unparalleled opportunities for development.

PROJECT SELECTION AND STAKEHOLDER DATABASE CREATION

The projects have been selected by the EIC Programme Managers from their portfolios in line with the objectives of each Community of Practice. This approach has ensured the engagement of EIC challenge-driven and thematic projects that contribute to these objectives, and the establishment of a dedicated database.

Concurrently, a stakeholder database has been created to map and engage key entities interested in the activities of the thematic Communities of Practice.

These databases, accessible on DEEPSYNC in April 2024, organise information about projects and supporters, offering a valuable resource for broader engagement within the deep tech landscape.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AT THE FOREFRONT

Special badges and the Women Lead page celebrate diversity and inclusivity, echoing the Deliverable “Knowledge base on how to build and promote sustainable and inclusive communities around EIC projects” (link). This emphasis on inclusivity and supporting female-led initiatives underscores the importance of diverse, gender-inclusive communities in innovation. Through these features, we highlight their crucial role in driving change, aligning with core principles for broader engagement and equality in the EIC ecosystem:

• Women Lead: Celebrates projects under female leadership or that significantly involve women, showcasing efforts towards gender equality in deep tech.
• Inclusive Innovations: Highlights projects focusing on or targeting underrepresented groups, emphasizing the value of diversity in innovation.
• EU-Wide Outreach: Features initiatives across widening countries, underscoring the importance of expanding deep tech’s reach and fostering European and global collaboration.

EIC Communities is a Horizon project funded by the European Union which aims to boost the visibility and impact of EIC projects. To do this, it seeks to foster a vibrant innovation ecosystem by setting up three thematic Communities of Practice – Cleantech, Industry and Health. These communities share tools and resources and serve as platforms for co-creation and online and physical activities, thus nurturing a collaborative multidisciplinary environment for EIC projects.

By working closely with EIC representatives and Programme Managers, the EIC Communities project endeavours to pioneer new engagement practices, offer policy recommendations, and drive innovations that promise a sustainable future.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• Intermediary Role Promotion: Enhance the active participation of EIC Programme Managers and other EIC representatives in the decision-making and co-creation activities within the EIC projects ecosystem.
• Community Building: Develop multidisciplinary and inclusive communities by establishing thematic Communities of Practice that include stakeholders beyond the beneficiaries of projects, fostering a rich environment for innovation and collaboration.
• Networking and Exchanges: Facilitate networking opportunities and exchanges within and across thematic Communities, encouraging vibrant interactions that drive synergies and collaborative innovation.
• Co-design of Future Visions: Support the collaborative design of future technologies and breakthrough innovations, contributing to strategic decisions that shape European research & innovation and deep-tech sectors.
• Communication and Dissemination: Create and distribute a variety of communication materials and tools to maximize the visibility and impact of EIC projects, ensuring that results are effectively communicated to relevant stakeholders.

Through these specific objectives, the “EIC Communities” project aims to nurture new visions for future technologies and innovation breakthroughs, ultimately leading to impactful policy recommendations for the advancement of deep-tech research and development.

Contact our team to learn more about what DEEPSYNC can do for you:

Coordination EIC Communities Project:

• Stefania De Santi (APRE) – desanti@apre.it
• Jessica Bonanno (APRE) – bonanno@apre.it

Communication Officer:

• Cesar Giovanni Crisosto (ICONS) – cesar.crisosto@icons.it

The European Innovation Council (EIC) is a key component of the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, designed to support the commercialisation of high-risk, high-impact technologies. By offering funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities, the EIC aims to assist innovators, entrepreneurs, and small companies in bringing groundbreaking ideas to the market. It focuses on deep tech innovations that can create new markets or disrupt existing ones, with a strong commitment to advancing sustainable technologies and supporting diversity in innovation.