A CERN innovation hub is to be established at the Corda Campus, a large technology and business innovation campus in Hasselt (Limburg Province). CERN is the leading European centre for particle physics, based in Geneva (Switzerland). Over the past few decades, a great many new technologies have been developed there. The hub aims to make this knowledge more accessible to businesses in Limburg and the rest of Belgium.
CERN develops technologies that are among the best in the world. Although they are primarily intended for fundamental research, they also have applications outside particle physics, for example in medical imaging, advanced sensor technology and data processing.
The new innovation hub at the Corda Campus in Hasselt is designed to strengthen the link between CERN and the Belgian business community. The focus is on connecting CERN’s expertise with the needs of businesses and research institutions.
For example, both partners aim to launch new research and development projects and to stimulate the development of innovative products and applications.
First region in Europe
Limburg is the first region in Europe to have such an innovation hub. “This is an important recognition of our ambitions,” says Tom Vandeput, chair of the provincial development agency of Limburg province POM Limburg and provincial executive member for Innovation Policy.
The province is allocating an additional 3.6 million euros to the Big Science Hub over the coming years. The collaboration with CERN is a first concrete step within this broader initiative. Our aim is to give our innovative SMEs better access to international knowledge and technology and to strengthen their competitiveness.”
“This CERN innovation hub is the first of a limited number of hubs we are establishing this year to test the new collaboration model in practice,” adds Han Dols, Head of Innovation and Technology Transfer at CERN.
“Together with a partner that is strongly committed to regional innovation, we want to help businesses and researchers apply CERN’s knowledge to challenges in a wide range of fields. In this way, this hub can strengthen the Belgian innovation ecosystem, stimulate socio-economic growth and create tangible social added value.”
Through the Big Science Hub, POM Limburg aims eventually to become a permanent link between Belgian industry and major international research infrastructures.
This should enable Limburg province to secure a stronger position within the international Big Science landscape, opening up new opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship and employment.