This study evaluated the implementation of the European Innovation Council pilot from 2018 to 2020 under Horizon 2020. It looked at the performance of the EIC Pilot by assessing its delivery framework, the suitability of the novelties it introduced, the early signs of impacts and their determinants. In particular, the study tested how the programme approach would lead to improving market creating innovation processes by accelerating the transition from research to technology development and deployment. The evaluation was built on several research tools that combined qualitative and quantitative data collection methodologies, including text clustering techniques, content analysis, and counterfactual analysis, survey, case studies, literature review and an interview programme. The preliminary findings and conclusions were discussed and validated during an online policy workshop with over 80 participants representing the different categories of stakeholders involved in the EIC.
The final study will feed into the overarching ex-post evaluation of Horizon 2020 and will be completed by further evaluation and analytical activities on the impact of the EIC.