After 5 years of building a community of SI practitioners and thinkers across Europe, the SIE project is coming to an end and will be followed by a new project at the end of July.

The SIE project started in 2011 and was the first pilot action from the European Commission that focused on social innovation. Initiated by DG GROW, its aim was to build social innovation across Europe by creating a common space for policymakers, social enterprises, universities, engaged citizens and businesses to share their work and exchange best practices. The comprehensive activities of SIE have been documented on the SIE website and social media.

At the end of July 2016, SIE will be replaced through a new and wider Horizon 2020 Programme funded project launched last February – Social Innovation Community (SIC).

SIC will continue to build on the legacy of SIE and grow the extended network of SI practitioners, thinkers and beneficiaries. Existing content will be available on the new and much improved SIC website, where there will be lots of ways to get involved in the activities and community of SIC.

SIC will engage, strengthen and connect existing social innovation networks and projects through ‘a network of networks’ approach. It will focus on connecting groups of actors around ‘networks’ including  public sector innovators, digital social innovators, intermediaries, social economy and more, while also engaging and developing research, learning, experimentation and policy.

More information will be made available soon. For now, the responsible stakeholdes are pleased to invite you to take a look at the upcoming SIC launch event as well as its first Summer School event on Urban Social Innovation.

The SI-DRIVE community cooperates closely with the SIE community and looks forward to continue the cooperation in the new SIC project.