Digitalisation and technological innovation

In 2025, around 15% of advisory assignments targeted financing gaps and investment pipelines in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, life sciences, semiconductors and digital infrastructure.

EIB Advisory helped public authorities use innovation procurement more strategically, advised on digitalisation projects outside the European Union, and supported venture capital funds and startups in Africa through initiatives such as Boost Africa and Boost Venture Africa.

More on EIB Advisory support to the EIB strategic priorities

EIB Advisory support in 2025

Through the Finance Labs series, EIB Advisory brought together investors, corporates, policymakers and experts to explore financing solutions to investment barriers in sectors like space, quantum computing and semiconductors.
This support helped banks, investors, companies and public authorities identify financing options, address bottlenecks and bring innovation projects to the market, contributing to Europe’s technological competitiveness and long-term growth.
EIB Advisory also supported innovation in healthcare through its JASPERS programme. This included projects such as the Romanian Centre of Excellence for Cellular Therapies at the Oncological Institute Bucharest, helping prepare investments that improve diagnosis and treatment.
Our support for the Strategic Technologies Platform for Europe helped prepare and implement investments in advanced technologies. Examples include the Fundeni Clinical Institute in Romania and the RDI and Manufacturing Centre for critical medicines at Antibiotics SA.
Through the Innovation Fund Project Development Assistance, EIB Advisory also supported innovators preparing projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to Europe’s decarbonisation objectives.

European startups: from idea to investment

Finance often remains out of reach for many startups, from clean tech to biotech to quantum computing. Not because they lack ideas, but because they are not yet ready to work with investors.

To address this, in 2025 the EIB Group introduced TechEU, a €70 billion initiative helping European startups grow, scale and stay in Europe.

TechEU brings financing and advisory support under a single framework, offering researchers, startups and scale-ups a one-stop shop linking venture capital, loans, equity and advisory support.

This helps companies and financial intermediaries clarify investment needs, build robust business cases, and access loans, equity and guarantees. The aim is to make EU support larger, faster and simpler, while reducing administrative hurdles.

By 2027, TechEU seeks to mobilise up to €70 billion for startups, helping to attract up to €250 billion in private investment. It is the largest programme devoted to European innovation in history.

One tool under this initiative is the Investment Readiness Checker, developed by EIB Advisory. The checker reviews core business dimensions like governance, financial planning, business models and market strategy.

The Investment Readiness Checker helps entrepreneurs understand their strengths and identify what they still need in order to secure funding. Companies receive tailored feedback that helps them align with investor expectations and EU strategic priorities.

Since its launch in August 2025, the platform has attracted more than 1 000 startups and over 350 venture capital funds, becoming a benchmark for innovators and investors across Europe.

ADVISORY STORIES

An array beneath the ocean

Tidal stream power harnesses the relentless force of the tides to generate clean electricity. Unlike the wind or the sun, tides never rest.

Normandie Hydroliennes plans to launch a pilot tidal farm in the Raz Blanchard by 2028. Four turbines, each 24 metres wide, will produce electricity for around 15 000 people. Supported by the EU Innovation Fund and EIB Advisory, the project combines cost-cutting innovations to help bring tidal energy closer to industrial-scale deployment.

Romania bolsters digital defences with new data centres

Cybersecurity problems can disrupt many services in a city, from healthcare and sanitation to transportation. In the South-Muntenia region of Romania, a new data centre will consolidate hundreds of fragmented government. Once fully operational, the centre will serve over 3.1 million residents, enabling regional and national authorities to offer tailored digital services and providing citizens and businesses with faster, more secure access to public services.

Innovative carbon capture in Greece

It would take 3.3 billion trees and half of Greece’s land to absorb about 66 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over a decade. A carbon-capture project in northeastern Greece wants to match this amount.

EnEarth, a subsidiary of the Greek oil and natural gas company Energean, is developing one of Europe’s largest carbon storage operations in the Kavala Gulf region. That’s where the Prinos oilfield is located, and its wells will be used for the carbon storage.

“This project is part of a broader ambition to protect European industry and jobs, advance European technology, mitigate climate change and limit global warming to 1.5°C.”

Katerina Sardi

Managing director of Energean

Featured publication

Unlocking innovation: Addressing the funding needs of EU technology infrastructures

Technology infrastructures are the backbone of innovation, enabling industries to test, develop and scale new technologies before they reach the market. This EIB-commissioned report explores the critical role these infrastructures play in accelerating industrial transformation and reducing investment risks. Drawing on a survey, workshops and interviews with technology infrastructure operators and users, the study assesses the funding needs for capital and operational expenditures across Europe by 2030 and proposes innovative financial mechanisms to bridge existing gaps. It also highlights the importance of greening these infrastructures to align with Europe’s climate goals.

Read the report

Get inspired

25 August 2025

Europe’s innovative companies get boost as EIB Group launches TechEU Platform to simplify financing

The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is pressing ahead with its TechEU Programme to mobilise €250 billion in investment by 2027 for start-ups, scale-ups and innovative companies across Europe by putting in place a fast-track system for them to seek financing.

23 October 2025

EIB backs Swedish cleantech pioneer Meva Energy with €40 million for biogas innovation

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing €40 million in venture debt financing to Meva Energy AB (“Meva”), a Swedish cleantech company pioneering modular gasification plants that convert biomass residues into climate-neutral, industrial-grade biogas. This innovative fuel can directly replace fossil gas in a range of industries, supporting Europe’s transition to cleaner energy and greater energy independence.

3 June 2025

European Commission and EIB to further support decarbonisation projects from the Innovation Fund

The European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed an agreement renewing Project Development Assistance (PDA) under the Innovation Fund to increase technical and financial advisory support for innovative decarbonisation projects that are either not selected via the Fund or are preparing to apply. The renewed PDA agreement aligns with the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal, which aims to increase the deployment of net-zero technologies and boost the competitiveness of industries across the EU.