EIT Digital, which is a pan-European investment group focused on research-based digital technologies in Europe, has announced it plans to inject another €1 billion into the European ICT industry over the coming years. The company plans to focus this time on the four key areas: digital cities, digital industry, digital well-being and digital infrastructure, it says.
EIT says it has already made a €1bn investment into digital innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe as the company has been boosting digital innovation and developing entrepreneurial digital talent aimed at improving the quality of life since 2010.
“The digital transformation is happening globally, and it is our role to ensure Europe is at the forefront so we have a competitive economy and an improved quality of life across our continent. For that, we need to mobilise our innovation strengths to create and transform industries, to develop our cities, and to refocus our healthcare system. In addition, we need to invest in people through education in digital skills to ensure we have a workforce ready to drive this digital transformation,” says Willem Jonker, CEO at EIT Digital.
The company, which brings together over 130 European corporations, SMEs and start-ups, says it will make the future investments in the digital field for Europe in these key areas which are expected to lead to a three-times increase in the number of its products, services and technology transfers and will grow the EIT’s portfolio to at least €5 billion, it says.
EIT Digital invests mostly in strategic area to accelerate the uptake of research-based digital technologies across Europe where the innovation and education activities are carried out in the company’s co-location centres bringing together students, researchers, business developers and entrepreneurs to drive the digitalisation of society, it says.
The company is based in Brussels and has its co-location centres located in Berlin, Eindhoven, London, Paris, Stockholm, Trento, Budapest and Madrid.