Whether you work in a large company, an SME or a start-up, we can help you tap into CERN technology or know-how or help you identify solutions based on CERN's area of expertise.

Each case is unique and there are many potential ways to collaborate. If you are unsure how to benefit from CERN, contact us to discover if there is a fit between your needs and our expertise and services.

Browse our Technology Portfolio

What type of innovation partnership opportunities can industry get involved in?

R&D Collaborations: 

CERN has a well-established tradition of collaboration with companies and research institutes, with the objective to generate technological results having a potential for commercial exploitation. In this framework, the research goals are agreed and achieved through a collaborative contribution of technologies and/or resources.  R&D projects can be developed in CERN’s areas of technical expertise, such as superconductivity to ultra-high vacuum, from detectors to ICT. If you are interested in R&D projects based on a CERN technology or know-how in any of our areas of expertise, you are invited to contact us to discuss how to establish an R&D collaboration.

Licensing: 

CERN grants licences to commercial and academic partners for the exploitation of its technologies. All CERN technologies listed here are available for licensing.

Service and Consultancy: 

CERN’s expertise and cutting edge infrastructures represent a unique opportunity for companies and academics in need of a specific high-tech service. Our experts in the many areas of technical excellence are available to provide professional advice or specific studies to your business.

Start a company based on CERN tech

CERN encourages the creation of spin-off companies and gives support to CERN personnel and external entrepreneurs wanting to establish a spin-off company in one of CERN’s member states. A CERN spin-off is a company whose activity is based, partially or wholly, on CERN’s knowledge and/or technology. All potential entrepreneurs are encouraged to contact the Knowledge Transfer Group as early in the process as possible to discuss their ideas, and also if they think that there might be a potential for collaboration. This permits the KT Group to investigate the best strategy for protection of intellectual property, evaluate the business idea and subsequently assist with setting-up a plan for starting a spin-off company.

Support from the CERN Knowledge Transfer group:

• 1. Intellectual Property
  • Intellectual Property is an important aspect of starting and running a company. In line with its mission of maximising technological return to society, CERN’s Knowledge Transfer Group supports CERN spin-off companies through licensing of CERN technologies, or other knowledge transfer mechanisms
• 2. Spin-off advice
  • The KT Group actively supports the creation of new companies and can advise spin-off initiatives on:
    • business plan development
    • access to internal and external training programmes
    • networking with innovation partners in the member states.
    • For CERN personnel, the group can also provide information and advice on how to comply with CERN rules and regulations during spin-off company formation and operation.
• 3. Join a Business Incubation Centre (BIC) for CERN technologies
  • CERN collaborates with a range of partners in the member states to provide business incubation for entrepreneurs working on an idea related to CERN’s areas of expertise. Learn more about CERN’s network of incubators here.