The European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN), an international non profit association, was created in 1984 to co-ordinate the activities of EC Business & Innovation Centres (BICs). At present, EBN has over 240 members, including 155 BICs and 75 associate members in the 28 E.U. Member States and in 11 other countries (Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey, Canada, USA, Egypt, China, etc.). According to the latest Impact Report 2015 (data 2014), through the EU|BICs, EBN can reach out more than 18700 SMEs, 8750 start-ups and 485 large companies - 12% of them being involved in social innovation related projects.

Over the last two decades, EBN has become a reference point in Europe on innovation, spin-off, incubation, entrepreneurship, SMEs, and regional economic development.

The Association's task is to promote inside and outside the European Union the development of Business & Innovation Centres.

Therefore, EBN carries out four main activities:

• Institutional Representation
• The development of new tools and methodologies for members through European Projects and Thematic Networks including the Social Innovation Special Interest Group and the Creative, Cultural and Digital Industries Special Interest Group
• Technical Assistance and Quality
• Information, Communication and Networking