At this year’s 16th International Circular Economy Week’s Conference, the future of climate-friendly innovation in higher education was brought forward. Breandán Goss, Senior Innovation and Accelerator Manager at Trinity College Dublin, introduced the EIT Higher Education Initiative project ZEUUS – Zero Emissions Entrepreneurship for Universal Sustainability. His presentation highlighted how ZEUUS is changing the role of universities in speeding up climate action through entrepreneurship, innovation, and global collaboration.
ZEUUS is part of the broader EIT Higher Education Initiative, a European effort to boost the innovation capacity of universities by building entrepreneurial ecosystems and improving engagement with industry. More than 350 higher education institutions already participate in the initiative. ZEUUS stands out because it aims to change universities into catalysts for scalable solutions that directly address the climate crisis.
At its core, ZEUUS sees Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as key drivers of sustainable change. These institutions can create knowledge-driven innovations that tackle global challenges in energy, mobility, digitalization, and resilience. Goss explained that the project aims to foster entrepreneurial attitudes, strategic collaborations, and innovative models to build a more sustainable and inclusive world.
A main feature of the initiative is the ZEUUS Seed Factory, an educational and training model designed to equip students, researchers, and staff with the entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial skills needed to navigate fast-changing industries. Participants gain exposure to real-world challenges, developing both technical skills and entrepreneurial mindsets. They learn to spot opportunities, validate ideas, and engage confidently in innovation-focused careers.
The Seed Factory model is supported by ZEUUS’ Faculty-Driven Innovation Framework, which positions faculty leaders as crucial links between academic research and urgent industry needs. Faculty members work with project partners to identify industry challenges, guide team-based idea generation, and mentor participants through research, prototyping, and testing of solutions. This structured innovation pipeline ensures strategic oversight while encouraging quick experimentation, embodying Samuel Beckett’s philosophy: “Try Again. Fail Again. Fail Better.”
One important aspect of ZEUUS is its focus on addressing global challenges through interdisciplinary and digitally integrated methods. IfaS is also a main contributor for this initiative to explore solutions related to climate resilience, sustainable energy, digital transformation, and circularity https://www.stoffstrom.org/zeeus/ . The program’s “Global Gateway” highlights the potential for mutual learning between the Global North and Global South, promoting innovation that is flexible, context-aware, and relevant worldwide.
Ultimately, ZEUUS aims to produce graduates who are flexible, aligned with industry needs, and ready for innovation. They should be prepared for entrepreneurial efforts and intrapreneurial roles in established organizations. By incorporating sustainability and circular economy principles into innovation training, the project significantly contributes to Europe’s goals of achieving climate neutrality and promoting regenerative economic practices.
The presentation ended with an invitation to follow the project’s progress through its websites https://eit-hei.eu/projects/zeeus/, https://zeeus.org/ and social media channels as ZEUUS continues to grow its partnerships and impact across Europe’s innovation landscape.