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This paper discusses the emergence of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), from the launch of the policy idea in 2005 to the first EIT board decisions on knowledge and innovation communities in 2009. Earlier attempts to set- up a European institute have either failed or have taken a very long time and the initial idea of the EIT was risky and controversial. This raises the question of how and why the idea of the EIT took root so quickly. The analysis builds upon Kingdon’s work and shows the important role of Barroso as policy entrepreneur and of contextual factors keeping the policy window open for a surprisingly long time.