The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) recently opened the first Community Hub outside of Europe, in Silicon Valley, building on the existing Silicon Valley Hub of EIT Digital. The EIT Hub in San Francisco will support European innovators to attract US customers, partners and investors, and will also showcase innovation and bolster the visibility of innovative European solutions to global challenges.

In this podcast we talk to Eric Thelen, the Director of EIT Digital, about how this expansion will further strengthen Europe’s innovation ecosystem. The EIT was created in 2008 to drive innovation across Europe, and now has more than 1000 partners from business, education, and research. In the first phase, the EIT Silicon Valley Hub will represent EIT Digital, EIT Climate-KIC, EIT Food, EIT Health, and EIT Raw Materials. 

The Hub will support European ventures, attract US students to the EIT’s entrepreneurial education programs, provide a gateway to Europe for US-based organizations, facilitate joint open innovation initiatives, and generally stimulate stronger collaboration between the EIT Community and Silicon Valley.