The Draghi report mentions the word “innovation” 400 times — it seems like it’s becoming a magic word particularly in discussions about competitiveness. But it’s clear that without innovation, Europe can’t become more competitive. How can innovation become more than just a buzzword and truly drive Europe’s competitiveness?
You’re right; sometimes innovation becomes a sort of all-encompassing buzzword for future solutions. However, it’s also clear that without innovation, Europe cannot become more competitive. To address this, we need to examine the recommendations in the Draghi report more closely. At the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), we focus on four key recommendations that align with our mission.
First, the Draghi report emphasizes the importance of commercializing innovation—turning research into innovative products and services. This is central to what the EIT does. Second, it highlights closer cooperation between universities and businesses.
Our innovation projects foster such collaborations, accelerating and streamlining the process of creating startups, transferring technologies, and connecting academia with industry.
Third, there is a strong focus on fostering startups. Events like today’s EIT Jumpstarter are perfect examples of this, as they guide individuals with ideas on their journey to launching business startups. Later, you’ll see awards given to some of these successful ventures.
Lastly, one of the main recommendations in the Draghi report is closing the skills gap in Europe. While new technologies emerge rapidly; the education system often struggles to adapt quickly enough to meet demand. At EIT, we emphasize education, entrepreneurship, and skills development to address this issue.
Based on the Draghi report, I believe EIT’s activities are at the heart of what Europe needs.
InnoStars: advancing healthcare innovation in the Western Balkans and beyond **
EIT Health InnoStars, headquartered in Budapest, is a key regional branch of EIT Health, a leading European innovation network created by the EIT, focusing on healthcare and healthy living. In 2025, InnoStars aims to further enhance regional healthcare ecosystems with a significant focus on the Western Balkans.
A planned collaboration with the Bulgarian Digital Health Innovation Cluster will support Bulgarian companies, serving as vital bridge between the local healthcare ecosystem and the broader EU innovation landscape.
The organization also plans to host a major hackathon in Sarajevo, centered on the European Health Data Space (EHDS). As part of its strategic expansion, InnoStars seeks to attract new partners from Turkey, Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Romania, targeting key markets across Central and Eastern Europe. Concurrently, InnoStars continues to position Debrecen University as a regional hub for innovation.
What is the main problem with the innovation landscape in Europe? The EU is the world’s largest investor in civilian R&D projects, although the U.S. leads when military spending is included. Billions of euros are allocated to R&D through the common budget, and member states also support innovation and research in various fields. So
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