This ICT2B project aims to develop bridges and bring together ICT researchers and entrepreneurial minded
individuals with different backgrounds and from many European countries. As a consequence, it will promote the
creation of entrepreneurial and innovative ICT start-ups that exploit products and services developed from EU
funded ICT R&D projects. The ICT industry in Europe accounts for c.4% of the total EU GDP and is a growing
sector; yet despite the comparatively high level of ICT research funded by the European research the level of
commercialisation as well as the European private investments in ICT start-ups remain low.
The vision of the ICT2B project is to create a long-lasting mechanism, in the form of an annual double event
that will facilitate the commercial exploitation of European-funded ICT research project outcomes leading to the
creation of European high tech start-ups. The project will target young ICT researchers in EU funded projects
and partner them with graduate business students with to promote interaction between the two groups and
eventually the creation of more innovative international entrepreneurial start-ups based on high-technology
research intensive ICT products and services.
It is the intention of this support action, which builds on the network of the EIT ICT Labs and the infrastructural
legacy of the IEE entrepreneurial project Energy2B, to provide a model for increasing the commercialization
of ICT research with high growth potential and promote the development of entrepreneurial and enterprising
awareness and skills among those participating ICT researchers.
