Connecting Business Innovation Leaders
Europe’s leading innovation partner network, fast-tracking your connectivity and certifying your value
We believe that in a world seeking to solve our global challenges, innovative entrepreneurs are the force for sustainable, economic development and greater wellbeing in our local regions.
Becoming a certified EU|BIC or joining the community as an Associate Member means responding to our mission with the best possible actions to create vibrant, thriving startups and SMEs. In other words, EU|BICs take real steps to ensure that their services are best advantageous to their client companies and best advantageous to their regions.
There are now more than 106 Certified EU|BICs and over 43 Associate members and 20 satellites shaping our global community.
EBN (European Business and Innovation Centre Network) is the non-profit that facilitates this pan-European, global community of people using innovative business as a driver for regional (economic, sustainable, and social) development. EBN grants and manages the EU|BIC certification, and many other innovation solutions for excellent business support actors like the EU|BICs.
© European Union, 2022
EU | BIC community
165+
members
Operating in over 35 countries, covering the full spectrum of innovation sectors, and collaborating for continuous improvement and increased impact.
630+
business experts & partners
Committed to the development and growth of entrepreneurial innovators, providing high-quality services to startups, spin-offs and SMEs.
36,000+
startups
Receive support from our members. Benefiting from expertise and programmes critical to their growth.
1
official certificate
Uniquely granted by EBN to mission-aligned organisations as the only certification of quality for business support organisations originated by the European Commission.
Build New Relationships
Fast-track your connectivity. When your organisation certifies as an EU|BIC you join a powerful community of business leaders, support practitioners and innovation partners expanding your reach within your local and international innovation ecosystems.
Improve Your Results
Getting certified and taking the yearly assessment is a powerful mechanism to help your company set goals for improvement, deliver more value to your clients and your ecosystem, and track performance over time. Members gain access to training, peers, technical assistance and funding opportunities.
Engage Trusted Partners
More than ever, people want to do engage with people and organisations they trust. The EU|BIC Certification and its trusted community are among the smartest ways to attract best-of-class clients, investment partners and to participate in revenue-generating projects that help you deliver on your mission.
Amplify Your Voice
The EU|BIC label communicates that your organisation is a verified business innovation leader when it comes to delivering quality business support and empowering entrepreneurial innovators. The third-party validation helps your organisation to stand out, and stand by your mission.
Smart solutions for all your innovation needs
News & events
May
31
2024
The Cities of Lappeenranta (an EU|BIC since 2010) and Imatra will showcase their program, South Karelia Growth Builders, in Nantes. These municipalities took action after a concerning report from the Federation of Finnish Enterprises highlighted a decline in South Karelia's growth. To address this issue, Lappeenranta and Imatra designed a program aimed at reversing this trend in their border region. Being one of the 7 nominees competing for the Most Impactful Programme title in the EU|BIC Excellence Awards final will set a precedent for other remote regions to follow.
Read more
May
29
2024
Instituto Pedro Nunes' INEO START is the oldest Portuguese acceleration programme, having supported more than 140 teams who have become mature and viable businesses in the national and European stage. It now begins a new edition with hopes of achieving the title of Most Impactful Programme in the EU|BIC Excellence Awards final. EU|BIC IPN has been a member of the EBN since 2009, and will be among the 7 finalists to pitch on stage in the stage of CIC Ouest during the annual EBN Congress in Nantes.
Read more
May
28
2024
Valeo Autoklimatizace k.s., a leading force in automotive innovation backed by the global Valeo Group, invites startups to collaborate in pioneering cutting-edge technologies to shape safer, cleaner mobility solutions worldwide, offering accelerated growth opportunities and real-world testing in challenges such as predictive maintenance and energy consumption optimization.
Read more
May
27
2024
European Innovation Council & EISMEA has opened proposals for the next phase of the Enterprise Europe Network from 2025 to 2028, focusing on sustainability, growth, resilience, and digitalization to support SMEs, with established business support organizations invited to apply for a budget of EUR 182.5 million, and an online information session scheduled for 28 May 2024.
Read more
May
27
2024
Sign-language will be the national language of Slovenia in the EU|BIC Excellence Awards final. Inkubator Sežana's Entrepreneurial School for People with Hearing Loss, Constantinus International Award gold laureate in 2023, will be among the 7 finalists to pitch on stage for the Most Impactful Programme title. Inkubator Sežana, a part of the EU|BIC family since 2006, shows no sign of stopping in the reinvention of incubation and the inclusion of people with disabilities in their ecosystem.
Read more
May
24
2024
Join EU|BIC Berytech and ANIMA Investment Network next Thursday, May 30th at 11h00 CEST for an insightful webinar part of the Lebanon Innovate initiative. This event aims to connect European research, innovation, and business organizations with Lebanon's dynamic innovation ecosystem.
Read more
May
24
2024
Valmiera Development Agency, a 2023 addition to the EU|BIC associates family, will be contending for the EU|BIC Excellence Awards final. Representing the Baltic country of Latvia in the grand final of the EU|BIC Excellence Awards. The ZILE programme, meaning acorn in English, is one of the 7 selected programmes to pitch on stage for the Most Impactful Programme title. Valmiera's ZILE programme shows the compromise of the newest EU|BICs in bringing fresh ideas to the broader EU|BIC community.
Read more
May
22
2024
CEIN, one of the newest additions of the EU|BIC Community, will be the EU|BIC associate representing Spain the grand final. One of the 7 selected programmes to pitch on stage of the EU|BIC Excellence Awards: Most Impactful Programme.
Read more
The pan-European EU|BIC business innovation community and the Certified EU|BIC quality label were designed as pioneering models for economic growth, facilitated by the EBN Secretariat. Throughout the pandemic, we have witnessed how the model of supporting entrepreneurial innovation continues to be the accelerator for recovery and a solution-driver for global challenges.
Our members, who we serve via the EU|BIC community, partners and the EBN team remain committed to co-design our desired future supported by innovation: creating greater wellbeing to European citizens – and beyond.
Our members, who we serve via the EU|BIC community, partners and the EBN team remain committed to co-design our desired future supported by innovation: creating greater wellbeing to European citizens – and beyond.
EU|BIC quality certification label
Industry
best-practices
best-practices
Project
participation
participation
Skills
building training
building training
Dedicated
expert team
expert team
