The Nordic teams of EIT Urban Mobility Innovation Hub North and EIT Climate KIC are happy to announce that starting from January 2021, both teams are now sharing a common office in Copenhagen, Denmark. The strategic decision to share offices was made in the belief that the challenges in urban mobility and climate change require a strengthened partnership and a new way of collaboration.
The Copenhagen joint office co-location is EIT Urban Mobility’s first of it sort since EIT promoted the EIT Community co-location initiative. ‘Co-location Centres (CLCs) are the main instrument for managing KIC activities and knowledge flow. They bring together diverse teams from across the ‘Knowledge Triangle’ in one specified physical location and provide the focal point for a KIC’s activity in that area. Geographical proximity is essential for facilitating interactions among KIC partners within a geographical area.’
This decision was initiated earlier in 2020 and resulted in an extensive search for suitable collocation opportunities that could foster the goals of both Copenhagen-based teams. Eventually, EIT Urban Mobility provisional office site at BLOXHUB was chosen as the preferred joint solution. Copenhagen BLOXHUB provides access to a vibrant community of innovators consisting of 350 companies, research institutions, organisations, and municipalities working towards sustainable urbanisation. In this environment, both teams are confident that a strengthened EIT Community collaboration will lead to innovative and leading-edge results benefiting the ‘knowledge triangle’ communities.
EIT Urban Mobility’s new office collocation with EIT Climate-KIC has resulted in over 40% cost savings and will lead to greater resource efficiency allowing us to cut down on wasted space, as well as the furniture and equipment costs. Next to financial savings, the co-location will allow for enhanced EIT Community collaboration through the planning and organisation of joint activities, harness the power of networks, and enhance visibility for each of the collocating KICs as well as the EIT Community in the Nordic and Baltic region.
We are hopeful and looking forward to transforming our virtual to face to face collaboration as soon as the pandemic allows us to work in the new shared office.
