EIT RawMaterials: Leading Science Founder Urges Innovation Transformation at Universities in Fight Against Climate Change
14.9.2022 15:56:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
A leading innovator in science has urged European universities and higher education institutions to revolutionise their innovation activities to effectively tackle climate change. Dr. Riam Kanso, founder and CEO of Conception X, will be the keynote speaker at the INNOVEIT Stockholm: Innovation in Higher Education on 15 September. The event is coordinated and led by EIT RawMaterials, the world’s largest consortium on raw materials, funded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.
The registration for in-person or virtual attendance at INNOVEIT Stockholm is now open.
Reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 means new innovations in technology and energy are urgently needed. These innovations will largely stem from universities and higher education institutions. The EIT Higher Education Institutions Initiative (EIT HEI) funds and supports higher education institutions in growing their research and development faculties and boosting entrepreneurship activities and synergies with industry players, many with the aim of accelerating deep tech and energy innovations coming to market (start-ups and spin-offs).
The EIT HEI Initiative is titled ‘Innovation Capacity Building for Higher Education’ and is a unique model that brings together industry/businesses with researchers and higher education. The initiative is a key objective for the EIT as part of the EIT’s new seven-year strategy for 2021-2027. The programme supports higher education institutions with expertise and coaching, access to the EIT innovation ecosystem, and funding to boost the capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship activities at European higher education institutions.
Dr. Kanso: Urgent Progress Needed for Innovation in Higher Education
Dr. Kanso’s company, Conception X, has a complementary mission to the EIT HEI Initiative. Conception X is an independent, non-profit that works closely with more than 30 universities across the UK to discover and train aspiring PhD founders from leading research labs, helping them become eligible for innovation grants, awards, and venture capital funding. Through a nine-month deep-tech venture programme, PhD students explore ways to commercialise their research while still at university – much like the EIT-Labelled Masters and PhD programmes.
Dr. Kanso says new models like this are needed to unleash Europe’s potential as a hotspot for meaningful innovation, especially with the continent’s 2050 deadline to reach net-zero emissions fast approaching.
Dr. Kanso said: “Universities and higher education institutions are built to spread knowledge that improves the world. Yet, the current system of spreading this knowledge by publishing papers can sometimes hinder progress – by the time a paper is published, the research could be three years old. We need to create models where research and innovation come together to reinforce and advance each other.”
EIT RawMaterials CEO Bernd Schäfer stressed: “Europe is at an epochal turning point, where the ambitious goals of the European Green Deal are placing more extraordinary demands on higher education than ever before. Our EIT HEI Initiative was established for this reason, to empower higher education institutions to become engines of innovation and foster sustainable growth and jobs. The initiative brings Europe’s education, research, and industry leaders together to work on strengthened innovation in higher education with the aim of solving some of the world’s biggest problems - like climate change.”
Speaking about the EIT HEI Initiative, Dr. Kanso said: “We’re working to promote knowledge and innovation and help great people excel. The more allies we have and the more connected we are, the easier it will be to achieve that. Network initiatives like the EIT HEI are crucial.’’
INNOVEIT: Stockholm - Focus on Innovation in Higher Education
This hybrid event will highlight the ongoing work of the EIT’s HEI Initiative. Discussions will focus on how the EIT HEI Initiative will connect with deep tech innovations and talents and EIT-Labelled education programmes for enhanced innovation capacity building.
All active projects selected for both the EIT HEI’s Cohort 1 (launched in July 2021) and Cohort 2 (launched in July 2022) will be present at the event. There are 23 active Cohort 1 and 26 active Cohort 2 projects in the HEI Initiative network. Cohort 1 projects will share the good practices and methodologies they have learned so far for increasing innovation capacity in European higher education institutions.
Dr. Tamer Abu-Alam is the Project Coordinator of one of EIT HEI Initiative’s funded Cohort 1 projects, CloudEARTHi, and an academic at UiT, the Artic University of Norway.
Dr. Abu-Alam says initiatives like the EIT HEI Initiative, and this event, are crucial because Europe can only be decarbonised if industry, research, and higher education work closely together.
‘’Without this coming together of stakeholders we cannot achieve a solution to the climate crisis. We are all working on the same problem - but from different perspectives. This is why the EIT HEI and the Stockholm event are so important - because everyone is brought together, everyone presents their point of view, and based on this we can innovate and work together to address this challenge.”
The CloudEARTHi project guides students on how to develop their business plan in line with the European Green Deal, and how to use big data to address gaps in their business model. Within just two months, one student has already started his own business to recycle computer components – an activity that will help to provide the EU with specific raw materials necessary for the green transition.
Dr. Tamer Abu-Alam will also take part in the panel discussion ‘EIT HEI Initiative: Innovation capacity building good practices.’
The event is an integral part of the INNOVEIT WEEKS, a series of events showcasing how EIT, Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem, offers unique opportunities to innovators and entrepreneurs, powering solutions to global challenges.
The registration for in-person or virtual attendance at INNOVEIT Stockholm is now open.
ENDS
Notes for the Editor
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
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. The EIT is Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem bringing together close to 3 000 partners from top business, research and education organisations across Europe in 200+ hubs. More than 3 800 students have graduated from EIT labelled master and doctoral programmes and over 100 000 have participated in EIT Community entrepreneurial trainings.
EIT HEI Initiative: Innovation Capacity Building for Higher Education
The EIT HEI Initiative: Innovation Capacity Building for Higher Education is a joint EIT Community programme led by EIT RawMaterials − one of the EIT’s Knowledge and Innovation Communities. The initiative aims to support higher education institutions with expertise and coaching, access to the EIT innovation ecosystem, and funding, enabling them to develop innovation action plans contextualised to the needs of individual higher education institutions. In July 2021, 23 projects started their activities after the EIT HEI Initiative Pilot Call. By 2027, the EIT HEI Initiative aims to support 550 higher education institutions boosting European innovation in higher education and driving the twin transition towards a more sustainable, digital and competitive Europe.
EIT RawMaterials
The objective of EIT RawMaterials is to secure a sustainable raw materials supply by driving innovation, education, and entrepreneurship across European industrial ecosystems. EIT RawMaterials provides a collaborative environment for disruptive and breakthrough innovations by connecting business with academia, research, and investment. It also invests in future generations of innovators for the raw materials sector, through initiatives ranging from the education of school students to higher qualifications for industry professionals.
The company is committed to supporting Europe’s transition towards a circular, green, and digital economy whilst strengthening its global competitiveness and securing employment. On this foundation, EIT RawMaterials has been mandated by the European Commission to lead and manage the European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA).
EIT RawMaterials – developing raw materials into a major strength for Europe. Connecting Matters!
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220906005543/en/
Contact information
EIT RawMaterials
Vanessa Lorenz, Head of Communications
E: vanessa.lorenz@eitrawmaterials.eu
M: + 49 174 2714312
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Venture Global and ConocoPhillips Announce 20-Year LNG Sales and Purchase Agreement1.10.2026 23:30:00 EEST | Press release
Today, Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE: VG) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) announced a new, long-term Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) for liquefied natural gas (LNG). Under the SPA, ConocoPhillips will buy 1.0 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LNG from Venture Global for 20 years, starting in 2030. "Venture Global is proud to welcome ConocoPhillips, one of the world's leading energy companies, as a long-term partner," said Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel. "This agreement reflects continued market confidence in our proven ability to deliver reliable, low-cost U.S. LNG quickly and at scale. We look forward to supporting ConocoPhillips' growing global LNG portfolio for decades to come." About Venture Global Venture Global is an American producer and exporter of low-cost U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) with over 100 MTPA of capacity in production, construction, or development. Venture Global began producing LNG from its first facility in 2022 and is now one of the largest LNG exporters in th
UL Solutions Inc. Completes Acquisition of Eurofins Scientific’s Electrical & Electronics Business1.10.2026 23:05:00 EEST | Press release
UL Solutions Inc. (NYSE: ULS), a global leader in applied safety science, today announced it has completed the acquisition of the electrical and electronics (E&E) business of Eurofins Scientific SE. “This acquisition extends our 132-year commitment to our mission of working for a safer world,” said President and CEO Jennifer Scanlon. “We are thrilled to welcome our new colleagues to UL Solutions. By bringing together complementary expertise and capabilities, we are expanding our global footprint, enhancing our TIC services for electrical safety and connected products, and adding services that support customers around the world.” Eurofins’ E&E business provides testing, compliance and certification services that support global market access for electromagnetic compatibility and wireless testing, electrical safety, medical devices and other technologies. The acquisition adds laboratories and accreditations in EMEA, Asia and the United States to UL Solutions’ global network. About UL Solu
Barnes Aerospace Acquires ATL Turbine Services, Establishing First Aeroengine Component Repair Operation in Europe1.10.2026 21:50:00 EEST | Press release
Barnes Aerospace, a global provider of component engineering, manufacturing and repair solutions for the aerospace industry, today announced the acquisition of ATL Turbine Services Ltd. ("ATL Turbine Services"), a Dundee, Scotland-based specialist in the refurbishment and repair of hot-section gas turbine components, marking Barnes Aerospace's first dedicated component repair and overhaul presence in Europe. The acquisition establishes Barnes Aerospace's initial Component Repair and Overhaul (CRO) footprint in Europe, expanding the company's aftermarket presence and strengthening its ability to serve customers in the region. ATL Turbine Services brings established in-region repair, assessment, coating, and engineering capabilities that complement Barnes Aerospace's existing global repair network and broaden the company's ability to support customers throughout the turbine engine component lifecycle. "Establishing our Component Repair and Overhaul presence in Europe is an important part
Netmore Named Smart Company of the Year at the Premios iAgua 20261.10.2026 20:00:00 EEST | Press release
Netmore Group, the leading network operator and platform provider for Massive IoT, today announced it has been named Empresa Smart del Año — Smart Company of the Year — at the Premios iAgua 2026, the awards of iAgua, the Spanish-speaking water sector's leading media platform. The award was presented at the closing gala of the Spain Smart Water Summit, held at the Meliá Avenida América in Madrid. The award recognises a company that has taken an unusual route into water. Netmore is not a technology firm that added connectivity to its portfolio: it is a network operator that decided to specialise in the water cycle. In eighteen months, it has completed four acquisitions and become the world's largest LoRaWAN® network operator, with more than eighteen million IoT devices under contract across more than fifty countries. Its commitment to Spain took concrete form with the acquisition of Arson Metering, the Bilbao-based remote reading specialist, which brings a portfolio of more than 500,000
Elliptic Sets the Engineering Bar for On-Chain Risk With “Built for Compliance” Paper as New Rules Take Hold and Banks Launch a Joint Stablecoin1.10.2026 16:40:00 EEST | Press release
Elliptic, the global leader in on-chain risk management, today published Built for compliance, a paper setting out the nine engineering decisions that determine whether an on-chain risk system can support fast, accurate and defensible compliance decisions at agentic scale. Machines are already moving money on their own, at machine speed. Compliance teams now have to make hundreds of thousands of decisions a day, at that same speed. However, many on-chain risk systems were never engineered to support that pace. A compliance system that computes exposure on a schedule delivers stale results. One that defines blockchain coverage loosely enough lets a screening miss exposure entirely. A system that skips testing disaster recovery, a spike or an outage, takes down the customer’s compliance system too. That gap between machine speed and system design is exactly what regulators are now closing. As US regulators put together market-structure regulation, the GENIUS Act's stablecoin rules take h
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom