EU Innovation Journey'25

Jekaterina Novikova is the Deputy Head of the Innovation Policy and Access to Finance Unit within the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. Her team is responsible for designing and implementing policy actions aimed at overcoming barriers to innovation in the EU, including the upcoming European Innovation Act. With a strong commitment to fostering robust, inclusive, and interconnected ecosystems across Europe, Jekaterina oversees the preparation of the European Innovation Ecosystems Work Programme, including the Regional Innovation Valleys initiative, which provides funding opportunities exceeding €0.5 billion for the 2021-2027 period.

Jekaterina has been with the European Commission since 2005, working in both finance and policy areas. As an EU Fellow, she spent a year at the University of California, Berkeley, where she conducted research on how the US government, universities, and industry collaborate to facilitate the commercialization of research results. Jekaterina is a Certified Chartered Accountant and holds a Master's degree in European Affairs from Lund University, Sweden.