Deep Demonstrations

EIT Climate-KIC’s response to the climate emergency has been to focus our efforts on systems innovation, to generate options and pathways for radical transformations in whole countries, cities, regions, industries and value chains. 

Deep Demonstrations are large-scale projects implemented across different positions in systems of learning (place-based, for example Slovenia, or theme-based, for example Land Use) through which we offer our ‘systems innovation as a service’ model to Europe’s most ambitious challenge owners – i.e. the mayors, government ministries, industries and community leaders, and funders who have the means and mandate to tackle Europe’s biggest climate change challenges.

Learn more about the Deep Demonstration programme via this explainer video:

We designed the initiative to meet the increasing demand for our role as an orchestrator of systems innovation. Our systems innovation model uses a balanced portfolio of interventions – across education, technological innovation, citizen engagement, policy, finance and other relevant levers of change – to catalyse fast decarbonisation; to drive climate adaptation and resilience through circular economy approaches; and to generate new markets, business models and value chains coherent with a 1.5-degree world.

The world needs inspiration and proof that inclusive, fast and large-scale change is possible to achieve net zero in time.

EIT Climate-KIC’s Deep Demonstration’s act as:

• Testbed environments to remain below 1.5 degrees – leveraging consistent systems transitions called for by the IPCC, European policymakers and our own strategy and Theory of Change
• Sources of innovation and learning that can accelerate change elsewhere, and provide important inputs for policymakers
• Our way of accelerating learning about how to change the world in the context of urgency, diversity and radical uncertainty

We initially launched our demonstrations in 2019 and build on our ten-year track record of climate innovation in cities, industry, land-use and finance, which we bring into the portfolio phase of our demonstration projects. We have learnt a lot since then, and you can explore our portfolio of work here.

We invite new partners and funders to work with us to expand and progress this initiative, for a rapid and inclusive green recovery across Europe. If you’d like to join the movement, email us to or apply through our current open call that closes on the 18^th November.

Click here to download more information on the Deep Demonstration methodology, and find out how to get involved.