EIT RawMaterials

EIT RawMaterials
Name	EIT RawMaterials
Formation	2015
Type	Public–private partnership
Headquarters	Berlin
Region served	Europe
Leader title	Director
Parent organization	European Institute of Innovation and Technology

EIT RawMaterials is a European knowledge and innovation community focused on the raw materials value chain, bringing together industry, research, and higher education to enhance competitiveness and sustainability. It operates within the European Institute of Innovation and Technology framework and collaborates with universities, companies, research centers, and clusters across European Union member states, the European Commission, and international partners like the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Economic Forum. The organization coordinates innovation activities that intersect with actors such as the European Research Council, the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programmes, and regional entities including the European Regional Development Fund.

Overview

EIT RawMaterials links a pan-European network of RWTH Aachen University, Aalto University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Helmholtz Association, Fraunhofer Society, CNRS, Universität Basel, TU Delft, and industrial partners such as Nyrstar, Boliden AB, Glencore, ArcelorMittal, Rio Tinto, and BASF to address challenges in extraction, processing, recycling, and substitution. Its scope aligns with strategic initiatives like the Raw Materials Initiative, the European Green Deal, and the Circular Economy Action Plan, while interacting with policy instruments from the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. EIT RawMaterials positions itself alongside entities including European Space Agency, European Batteries Alliance, and European Investment Bank projects.

History and Organization

Launched during the EIT's expansion of Knowledge and Innovation Communities under mandates influenced by the Lisbon Strategy and follow-up policy debates in the European Council, the community consolidated partners from networks such as the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials and collaborations with institutions like TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Université de Liège, Politecnico di Milano, Chalmers University of Technology, and Montanuniversität Leoben. Its organizational model uses regional nodes and thematic centres mirroring governance practices seen in European Institute of Innovation and Technology Health and EIT Digital, with leadership interactions involving oversight bodies similar to those of European Court of Auditors and advisory input from actors like CERN and OECD experts. The structure includes partnership agreements with national agencies such as Vinnova, Business Finland, BMBF (Germany), and ANR (France).

Activities and Programs

Activities span education, innovation projects, business creation, and networking, leveraging instruments correlated with European Innovation Council pilots, ERASMUS+ exchanges, and vocational initiatives comparable to Erasmus Mundus. Education programmes include collaborations with Uppsala University, University of Manchester, Imperial College London, RWTH Aachen University School of Mining, and corporate training with firms like Siemens, Alcoa, and ThyssenKrupp. Entrepreneurship support mirrors accelerators such as EIT Digital Accelerator and interacts with investors like European Investment Fund and venture networks including Atomico and Index Ventures. It runs summer schools, doctoral networks, and professional courses akin to schemes at ETH Zurich and Karolinska Institutet.

Projects and Innovation Hubs

Projects encompass exploration technologies with partners such as SRK Consulting and CGG, processing innovations with Outotec and Voestalpine, recycling initiatives linked to Umicore and Suez, and substitution research in collaboration with Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology and Paul Scherrer Institute. Innovation hubs and regional hubs maintain ties with clusters like Cluster de la Filière Mines, Metallica, KIC InnoEnergy, Startup Wise Guys, and regional authorities including Bavaria State Ministry and Scotland's Enterprise structures. Pilot sites have engaged municipalities and regions such as Saxony, Wallonia, Upper Silesia, Nordland, and ports like Rotterdam and Gothenburg.

Governance and Funding

Governance employs a Board with members drawn from academia, industry, and research organizations similar to models at European Research Area consortia and includes advisory committees comparable to those in European Commission directorates. Funding sources combine EIT core funding via the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, competitive grants under Horizon Europe and earlier Horizon 2020, co-funding from corporate partners like BHP, Vale, and Eramet, and regional subsidies from instruments such as the European Regional Development Fund and national ministries like Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (Netherlands). Audit and compliance practices reflect standards seen at European Court of Auditors and procurement aligned with EU State aid rules.

Impact and Metrics

Impact is measured through indicators akin to those used by the European Commission and OECD—number of start-ups supported, patents filed with authorities like the European Patent Office, jobs created in regions including Bavaria, Scandinavia, and Iberia, and CO2 reductions reported in line with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scenarios. Reported outcomes reference collaborations with institutions such as University of Ljubljana, University of Porto, Technical University of Munich, and industry partners like Eramet and Hydro Aluminium, and aim to influence supply security debates in forums including the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the G20 materials discussions. Metrics also track education outputs comparable to Erasmus+ graduates and technology readiness improvements noted by European Innovation Council evaluators.

Category:European research projects