EIT Health Regional Innovation Scheme Country Representatives 2027-2028

This call seeks organisations to serve as EIT Health Country Representatives in selected Regional Innovation Scheme countries for 2027–2028 to strengthen national healthcare innovation ecosystems and increase participation in EIT Health programmes. Eligible applicants are registered legal entities in eligible RIS countries and may apply as single organisations or as national consortia that cover at least two sides of the Knowledge Triangle. The total call budget is approximately €1,274,000 with a maximum award of €182,000 per project, EIT Health funds up to 60 percent of eligible costs requiring 40 percent co funding, the expected duration is 24 months and up to seven representatives will be selected. The call opens 2 September 2026 and closes 2 November 2026 at 16:00 Brussels time; evaluation includes admissibility and eligibility checks, online pitching, an ELSI review and a minimum score threshold of 70/100 for funding consideration.

What it funds

High-level scope

Funding supports national Country Representative activities to strengthen healthcare innovation ecosystems: ecosystem mapping, stakeholder engagement, community building, promotion of EIT Health programmes, support for applicants, venture development, events, strategic partnerships and sustainability planning.

Funding envelope:Total call budget approx. €1,274,500; maximum per selected Country Representative €182,000; EIT Health funds up to 60% of eligible costs (applicant provides 40% co-funding) ¹.

1. 1Who can apply: registered legal entities established in eligible EIT RIS countries; consortia must include partners representing at least two sides of the Knowledge Triangle (education, research, industry) and all partners must be in the same eligible country.
2. 2Suitable applicants: organisations with experience in innovation ecosystem development, entrepreneurship support, technology transfer, incubation/acceleration, and strong links to national stakeholders.
3. 3Expected duration: 24 months.
4. 4Selection: single-stage application, admissibility/eligibility checks, online pitch with Q&A, Ethical Legal Social Issues review; minimum score for funding 70/100.

How to apply:register your organisation in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal to obtain a PIC, then submit via EIT Health’s application platform. Applicants should ensure availability for assigned pitching slots.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call page and documents available on the EU Portal EIT Health Country Representatives.

Call Overview and Context

EIT Health is opening a competitive call to appoint Country Representatives for the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) for the period 2027-2028. The Country Representatives will be national-level partners responsible for strengthening healthcare innovation ecosystems in eligible RIS countries, increasing participation in EIT Health programmes (innovation, education and business creation), and supporting the identification and development of innovators, start-ups and ventures. The call is part of the EIT Health Business Plan 2026-2028 (Grant agreement number 101269968, Identifier HORIZON-EIT).

Opening and Deadline:Opening date: 02 September 2026. Application deadline (single-stage): 02 November 2026, 16:00 Brussels time.

Duration and Budget:Expected duration of participation: 24 months. Total call budget: €1,274,000 (call documentation also references €1,274,500 in some materials). Maximum funding per project: €182,000. Up to 7 Country Representatives will be selected.

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicants are registered legal entities established in one of the eligible EIT RIS countries. Both single organisations and consortia are accepted, but consortia must represent at least two sides of the Knowledge Triangle (education, research and industry) and all partners in a consortium must be established in the same eligible country. Suitable applicant organisations typically include (but are not limited to): universities, research institutes, incubators and accelerators, innovation hubs, hospitals and healthcare providers, technology transfer offices, public authorities involved in innovation, non-profit organisations and industry associations. Applicants should demonstrate strong links with national innovation stakeholders and experience in ecosystem development, entrepreneurship support, start-up acceleration, stakeholder engagement and/or technology transfer.

Funding Type and Financial Conditions

Funding mechanism:grant funding provided by EIT Health under the EITHEALTH Business Plan 2026-2028. EIT Health funding will cover up to 60% of total eligible project costs. Applicants must provide 40% co-funding from non-EIT Health sources. Maximum award per selected Country Representative project: €182,000. The call budget is intended to fund up to seven projects within the total available budget.

Geographic and Beneficiary Scope

Beneficiaries must be established legal entities in one of the eligible EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) countries. The call text repeatedly references eligible countries without listing them explicitly; applicants must ensure they are resident in an eligible RIS country. All partners in any consortium must be established in the same eligible country.

Target Sectors and Activities

Primary thematic sector:health and healthcare innovation. The Country Representative role is cross-cutting across the health innovation ecosystem and supports EIT Health programmes in innovation, education and business creation. Funded activities should strengthen national healthcare innovation ecosystems and may include ecosystem mapping, stakeholder engagement, community building, promotion of EIT Health opportunities, support for applicants to EIT Health programmes, innovation pipeline and venture development, collaboration with public authorities and strategic partners, communication and outreach, and sustainability planning.

Expected Outcomes and Deliverables:Applicants must deliver activities that measurably strengthen the national healthcare innovation ecosystem, increase participation in EIT Health programmes, identify and support promising innovators and start-ups, organise ecosystem-building events, establish strategic partnerships across academia, research, healthcare, industry and public authorities, and contribute to EIT Health and EIT Key Performance Indicators. Proposals should include sustainability planning to ensure ecosystem development beyond the funding period.

Who Should Apply and Applicant Requirements

Ideal applicants will be organisations with a strong regional network and demonstrated experience in healthcare innovation ecosystem development, innovation support and entrepreneurship, start-up acceleration and incubation, stakeholder engagement and regional innovation collaboration, or technology transfer. Applicants must be registered legal entities in eligible countries and consortia must include at least two sides of the Knowledge Triangle (education, research, industry). Applicants must register on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal to obtain a PIC number and then submit via EIT Health’s application platform.

1. 1Register your organisation on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal to obtain a PIC (Participant Identification Code).
2. 2Apply via EIT Health’s application platform (use Apply button on EIT Health webpage or call page).
3. 3If applying as a consortium, ensure all partners are established in the same eligible country and that the consortium represents at least two sides of the Knowledge Triangle.

Submission and Evaluation Process

The call uses a single-stage submission model followed by an admissibility and eligibility check, online pitching sessions, an Ethical, Legal and Social Issues (ELSI) review, and final selection. The evaluation panel will comprise three external independent experts and up to two EIT Health subject matter experts. Panel members will score proposals out of 100; final scores are the mean of reviewer scores. Only proposals scoring at least 70/100 will be considered for funding. EIT Health management makes the final funding decision based on expert recommendations, scores and available funding. Applicants must be available for the assigned online pitching session; pitches include a presentation and a Q&A.

Evaluation stages:1 Admissibility and eligibility check by EIT Health staff. 2 Online pitching session evaluated by expert panel. 3 Ethical, Legal and Social Issues (ELSI) review by independent experts. 4 Ranking and final selection; invitations to contracting for top-ranked applicants scoring at least 70/100.

Application Type and Process

Call type:competitive open call (single-stage). Applicants must first register on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal to obtain a PIC and then submit their application through EIT Health’s application platform. An information webinar is scheduled (9 September 2026) and the official call documents and supporting documents are available via the EIT Health website and the EU portal EIT Health RIS Country Representatives Call on EU Portal.

Project Stage and Maturity

Projects are implementation-focused activities to build and expand innovation ecosystem capacity and pipeline development. Expected project maturity: ecosystem development, validation and demonstration of engagement activities, support for early-stage ventures and pipeline creation rather than basic research or late-stage commercialization only.

Co-funding and Financial Requirements

Co-funding is required. EIT Health will fund up to 60% of total eligible costs; applicants must provide 40% co-funding from non-EIT Health sources. Ensure budgeting accounts for the co-funded portion and eligible cost rules as per EIT Health and EIT guidance.

Number of Application Stages and Success Rate Guidance

Application stages described:single-stage submission, admissibility/eligibility check, online pitch (with Q&A), ELSI review, ranking and contracting. This corresponds to four core stages after submission. Success rates are not published in the call text; selection is competitive with up to seven Country Representatives to be funded from the pool of eligible applicants and a minimum score threshold of 70/100 for consideration.

Application Template and Required Materials (Structure Guidance)

Applicants must follow the application form and templates provided on EIT Health’s application platform and the official call documents. While the full form is hosted on the EIT Health portal, proposals should clearly address the following structured elements in their submission: organisational profile and legal status including PIC; relevance to role of Country Representative; demonstration of experience in ecosystem development and entrepreneurship support; consortia composition and demonstration of Knowledge Triangle coverage (if applicable); detailed workplan and timeline for 24-month delivery; detailed budget showing eligible costs and co-funding sources; planned activities mapped to expected outcomes and EIT KPIs; stakeholder engagement plan and evidence of national/regional partnerships; sustainability plan for post-funding continuation; metrics for monitoring and evaluation; CVs and roles of key personnel; risk management and ELSI considerations. Proposals will be judged by reviewers on the submitted application plus performance in the online pitch and the answers in the Q&A.

Mentioned Countries and Geographic Scope

The call text refers to eligible EIT RIS countries. The opportunity pages do not list each eligible country explicitly in the scraped content, so applicants must consult the official call documentation or EIT Health pages for the list of eligible RIS countries. The geographic scope is therefore restricted to EIT Regional Innovation Scheme countries (EU/partner countries covered under EIT RIS).

Nature of Support

The opportunity provides monetary grant support (financial funding) and also offers non-monetary support through connection to the EIT Health network, programme promotion, access to coaching and EIT Health programmes, and ecosystem integration. Primary label: money (grant) combined with network and programme support.

Success Rate and Selection Guidance

The call will select up to 7 Country Representatives. No explicit historical success rate is provided in the call text. Successful applicants must achieve at least 70/100 in evaluation and be among the top ranked proposals subject to available funding. Final funding decisions rest with EIT Health management following expert evaluation and ranking.

How to Apply (Step-by-step)

1. 1Register your organisation on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and obtain a PIC number.
2. 2Read the official call document and supporting documents available via EIT Health and the EU portal Call on EU Portal.
3. 3Prepare the application addressing organisational profile, workplan, budget, co-funding confirmation, stakeholder engagement and sustainability plan.
4. 4Submit the application via EIT Health’s application platform before the deadline (02 November 2026, 16:00 CET).
5. 5If shortlisted, attend the assigned online pitching session and prepare to answer panel questions.
6. 6Follow-up ELSI review requests and provide any clarifications requested during contracting if selected.

Relevant Links and References

Primary resource pages:EIT Health opportunity landing page and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal call page. Official call documents and supporting documents should be consulted for full eligibility lists, templates and detailed evaluation criteria EIT Health RIS Country Representatives Call on EU Portal.

Short Q&A Extraction (Structured Answers)

Eligible Applicant Types:Registered legal entities in eligible EIT RIS countries. Typical types: universities, research institutes, incubators/accelerators, innovation hubs, hospitals, public authorities, non-profits, industry associations. Consortia allowed if all partners are in the same eligible country and represent at least two sides of the Knowledge Triangle (education, research, industry).

Funding Type:Grant funding (EIT Health cascade funding under EITHEALTH Business Plan 2026). Funding covers up to 60% of eligible costs; applicants must provide 40% co-funding.

Consortium Requirement:Both single applicants and consortia are permitted. If applying as a consortium, it must include at least two sides of the Knowledge Triangle and all partners must be established in the same eligible country.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) eligible countries. Applicants must be registered legal entities in an eligible RIS country.

Target Sector:Health and healthcare innovation, including innovation, education and business creation activities in health (DeepTech/medtech, digital health, healthcare services and ecosystem development).

Mentioned Countries:The scraped content does not list specific countries; it references eligible EIT RIS countries. Applicants must check the official call documentation for the explicit list of eligible countries.

Project Stage:Implementation, ecosystem development, validation and demonstration of engagement and support activities. Focus is on pipeline building and venture development rather than pure basic research.

Funding Amount:Total call budget €1,274,000 (documents sometimes reference €1,274,500). Maximum funding per project €182,000. EIT Health funds up to 60% of eligible costs.

Application Type:Open competitive call, single-stage submission via EIT Health platform after PIC registration on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Nature of Support:Monetary grants (up to 60% funded) plus network, programme promotion and ecosystem integration (non-monetary services).

Application Stages:Submission (single-stage), admissibility/eligibility check, online pitching and Q&A, ELSI review, ranking and contracting — four principal post-submission stages.

Success Rates:Not specified in call; up to 7 Country Representatives will be selected. Minimum evaluation score 70/100 to be eligible for funding consideration.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. Applicants must provide 40% of total eligible project costs from non-EIT Health sources.

Comprehensive Summary

This opportunity seeks to appoint national Country Representatives in EIT Regional Innovation Scheme countries to act as the bridge between EIT Health and national health innovation ecosystems for 2027-2028. Selected Country Representatives will receive grant funding (up to €182,000 per project, EIT Health covering up to 60% of eligible costs) to run a 24-month programme of activities that map and activate the local innovation ecosystem, promote participation in EIT Health programmes, support innovators and start-ups, build partnerships across the Knowledge Triangle, and deliver sustainable ecosystem development. Applications require registration on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (PIC), followed by submission through the EIT Health application platform. The evaluation process involves formal checks, an online pitch assessed by an expert panel, an ELSI review, and final ranking; only proposals scoring at least 70/100 will be considered for funding. Applicants must provide 40% co-funding, demonstrate strong national networks and prior experience in ecosystem development or entrepreneurship support, and plan activities aligned with measurable EIT KPIs. Up to seven Country Representatives will be funded from the available budget. Applicants should consult the official call documents and supporting materials for the full list of eligible countries, detailed templates, exact budget rules and evaluation criteria prior to submission Call on EU Portal EIT Health RIS Country Representatives.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call and supporting documents are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and on the EIT Health opportunity page: see Call on EU Portal and EIT Health RIS Country Representatives links above.

This call seeks organisations to act as EIT Health Country Representatives in selected Regional Innovation Scheme countries for 2027-2028, with the aim of strengthening national healthcare innovation ecosystems, connecting local stakeholders to EIT Health, and increasing participation in EIT Health programmes.[1][2]

What the opportunity is about

The award supports national or country level representative organisations that can promote EIT Health opportunities, identify and support innovators and entrepreneurs, build ecosystem capacity, and help local actors connect with the wider European health innovation network.[1] EIT Health describes the role as focused on ecosystem development, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability of regional innovation activity rather than on direct research delivery.[1][2]

Who can apply

Applications are open to registered legal entities established in one of the eligible Regional Innovation Scheme countries.[1] Applicants may apply either as a single organisation or as a national consortium, and consortia must represent at least two sides of the Knowledge Triangle, with all partners established in the same eligible country.[1]

• Croatia
• Czechia
• Estonia
• Greece
• Hungary
• Latvia
• Malta
• Romania
• Serbia
• Slovenia
• Turkey

EIT Health highlights suitable applicant profiles such as healthcare innovation ecosystem organisations, innovation support bodies, start up accelerators and incubators, technology transfer organisations, research and higher education institutions, business support organisations, and entities with strong stakeholder engagement capacity.[1]

Funding, duration and key financial conditions

The portal metadata provided for this opportunity lists total funding available as €1,274,000. The EIT Health opportunity page states total call budget up to €1,274,500, maximum funding per project of €182,000, and funding of up to 60 percent of total eligible project costs, meaning applicants must secure the remaining 40 percent as co funding from non EIT Health sources.[1]

How applicants are evaluated

The application process begins with registration in the EU Funding and Tenders Portal to obtain a Participant Identification Code, followed by submission through the EIT Health application platform.[1] After the admissibility and eligibility check, shortlisted applicants are invited to online pitching sessions, where proposals are assessed on the application, the pitch, and the answers to questions.[1]

The evaluation panel consists of three external independent experts and up to two EIT Health subject matter experts.[1] Each application receives a single score out of 100 based on the mean of the reviewers scores, and only applications scoring at least 70 out of 100 are considered for funding.[1]

An Ethical, Legal and Social Issues review is also carried out by independent experts to ensure that relevant ethical, legal and social considerations are properly addressed.[1] Final funding decisions are taken by EIT Health management based on expert recommendations, scores and available funding, and if a selected applicant does not complete contracting, the next ranked applicant meeting the 70 point threshold may be approached.[1]

What applicants should pay attention to

1. 1The call is targeted at organisations that can act as credible national connectors for the health innovation ecosystem.[1]
2. 2Consortium bids are allowed, but all partners must be based in the same eligible country and the consortium must cover at least two sides of the Knowledge Triangle.[1]
3. 3Applicants should be ready to attend the assigned online pitch because EIT Health will not rearrange pitching slots to suit applicant availability.[1]
4. 4The financial model requires co financing, so applicants need confirmed non EIT Health contributions before final budgeting.[1]
5. 5Only proposals scoring at least 70 out of 100 remain eligible for funding consideration.[1]
6. 6The most likely funded projects are those that can demonstrate clear ecosystem impact, strong stakeholder reach, and a practical plan for promoting EIT Health opportunities locally.[1]