​On December 18, the European Commission announced the appointment of the 20 members of the new European Innovation Council (EIC). Among them is Laurence Petit, Deputy Director for Innovation at the CEA. This appointment recognizes both her career and expertise, as well as the CEA's innovation and spin-off policies.

About the European Innovation Council (EIC)

The EIC is Europe's leading investor in deep tech startups. With a budget of €10 billion (2021–2027), it supports the entire innovation journey, from cutting-edge technologies to scaling and growth.

The European Innovation Council (EIC) is a key component of the “Innovative Europe" pillar of the Horizon Europe framework program. In the face of growing competition in a global economy increasingly defined by new technologies, Europe must deepen its capacity for innovation and risk-taking to enhance its competitiveness.

In this context, the EIC targets researchers, entrepreneurs, and companies developing or launching high-potential innovation projects, particularly in breakthrough innovation. It acts as a one-stop shop, offering funding solutions to de-risk projects and adapt to each stage of technology maturation. The EIC has a total budget of €10.1 billion, and its implementation is managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), established in April 2021.