From the academic institution, CIM and the ETEA group are participating. The association was selected by the EIT to lead its new Knowledge and Innovation Community
The University of Vigo, through the Marine Research Center (CIM) and the ETEA research group, together with the Port Authority of Vigo (APV), are part of the Allwaters consortium, selected by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) to lead EIT Water, the new European Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC). This KIC will be dedicated to driving solutions to Europe’s water, marine, and maritime challenges. The initiative focuses on sustainable water management, the blue economy, and biodiversity, integrating education, research, and industry.
A KIC is a community designed to foster collaboration between companies, research centers, and universities in order to accelerate innovative solutions to strategic challenges in Europe. It represents the main EU mechanism supporting innovation, knowledge transfer, and the training of specialized talent, and constitutes an important step toward securing the future of water on the continent, while also providing innovations to address the environmental, economic, and social pressures on Europe’s water systems.
An unprecedented European alliance
Allwaters involves 50 direct partners and an extended ecosystem of more than 230 across over 30 countries, including universities, research centers, industries, companies, ports, non-governmental organizations, and SMEs. The consortium was selected through a competitive international process reviewed by independent experts and evaluated by the EIT Governing Board.
EIT Water KIC will address freshwater, marine, and maritime challenges in an integrated manner, focusing on water scarcity, droughts and floods, the degradation of freshwater and marine ecosystems, and the development of a circular and sustainable blue economy. Among its targets for 2033, EIT Water aims to drive 247 innovations and 58 startups, support the creation of 1,380 skilled jobs, and prevent economic losses exceeding €1.2 billion resulting from the degradation of aquatic ecosystems.
Vigo, a hub of blue innovation.
From Vigo, the alliance between UVigo and APV has secured a place in the consortium and will work jointly to strengthen applied research in the port and marine sectors, promote specialized training in sustainability and the blue economy, and develop innovative solutions that enhance the climate resilience of coastal ecosystems and support efficient water management.
The director of CIM, Daniel Rey, believes that “for the Marine Research Center, being part of the new European Water Innovation Community represents an important recognition of the work we have been carrying out in the marine and maritime fields, as well as a unique opportunity to project it on a European scale.” He also points out that “our participation in the consortium is supported by the leadership of Campus do Mar and the close collaboration with the Port Authority of Vigo, with whom I share a common vision of innovation, sustainability, and commitment to the blue economy.” According to Rey, this alliance consolidates Vigo as a strategic hub within the European marine knowledge network and in the pursuit of solutions to major water, marine, and coastal challenges. “We aspire for Vigo and Galicia to establish themselves as European benchmarks in marine knowledge and sustainable water management, demonstrating that cooperation between universities, ports, and companies is essential to building a fairer, more competitive, and sustainable blue future,” explains the CIM director.
For his part, the president of the Port Authority of Vigo, Carlos Botana, considers that “the approval of this project is of great importance, as it strengthens the close collaboration we have with the University of Vigo and Campus do Mar, while also reinforcing the more than 40 projects underway at the Port of Vigo within the framework of our Blue Growth strategy.” Botana notes that only the most prestigious entities can be part of this consortium, “as there was intense competition among ports and universities to join it.” The APV president explains that both the Port of Vigo, the Port Authority itself, and the University are positioning themselves strategically at the European and international level as leading centers of reference in the Blue Economy and research, “which strengthens us for the future to attract new projects and initiatives. Vigo must become a City of Sciences, and this is only possible through close and joint collaboration between the Port and UVigo.”
Funding and timelines
The KIC will receive an initial grant of up to €5 million in 2026 from the EIT, aimed at establishing the governance structure, operational frameworks, and strategic plan that will guide the development of EIT Water. This first year will be primarily preparatory, focusing on internal organization and the definition of action priorities, while the community is expected to be fully operational in 2027, when European programs in innovation, entrepreneurship, and training will begin to be deployed.
In the long term, the consortium aims to mobilize more than €500 million and will be structured as an open and collaborative partnership, integrating universities, companies, ports, and research centers. Gradually, it will attract resources and generate a value chain that will strengthen innovation, knowledge transfer, and the sustainability of the entire European blue economy ecosystem.
About the European Institute of Innovation and Technology
The EIT is an EU body and forms an integral part of Horizon Europe, the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. Currently, the institute supports nine KICs: Climate KIC (formerly EIT Climate-KIC), 28DIXITAL (formerly EIT Digital), InnoEnergy (formerly EIT InnoEnergy), EIT Health, EIT RawMaterials, EIT Food, EIT Manufacturing, EIT Urban Mobility, and EIT Culture & Creativity, with EIT Water being the latest addition.
The CIM holds the CIGUS certification from the Regional Government of Galicia, which attests to the quality and impact of its research, and its activities are co-financed by the European Union through the 2021–2027 FEDER Program.
Source: DUVI
