European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, has launched a call for evaluators with expertise in innovation or investment. Evaluators will be asked toreview proposals submitted by SMEs from across the EU for funding to support the development of breakthrough innovations. This is part of the pilot European Innovation Council. In a later stage, evaluators will also interviewthe applicants and select the top innovators that are to be funded.

From autumn 2017, the EU's research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 will support innovation projects from innovators, researchers, corporates and SMEs active in any sector or technology as they look to support breakthrough innovations that have the potential to create new markets. The aim is to identify companies and entrepreneurs with the potential and ambition to grow internationally, as part of a pilot European Innovation Council. Applications for EIC funding will need to be evaluated by experts in innovation. And the best SME applicants will be interviewed by a panel of expert evaluators.

The Commission is therefore looking to expand its pool of expert evaluators to include:

• Entrepreneurs who have started up and scaled up innovative enterprises at European or global level;
• Investors (including those affiliated with banks, venture capitalists, business angels, crowd-funders etc.);
• Experts involved in the innovation ecosystem (business schools, universities, innovation hubs, accelerators, etc.).

Interested experts can register interest online here.