Word from the Management

CERN’s core mission is to push back the frontiers of science and human knowledge and we proudly share our discoveries such as the Higgs Boson with the world. It is equally as important to ensure that an impact is made across society with the cutting-edge knowledge gained whilst pursuing fundamental research. Thus CERN seeks to proactively identify the technologies with potential for societal impact and nurtures their development. To bring the final product onto the market and into the everyday world, collaborations are set up with industrial and institutional partners. Some projects start very small and receive resources from one of the CERN internal seed-funding mechanisms and an idea can take shape to later flourish and grow into a multi-partner collaboration, receiving significant external funding.

This report demonstrates how during 2023, CERN continued to have significant input to innovations in a wide-ranging variety of domains. As usual, this was done via partnerships with industry and academia, as well as research institutions and hospitals. You will see that the application of CERN technologies and know-how in healthcare, for the environment, in aerospace, and in the digital and quantum fields can have significant benefits to all our lives and assist the growth of industry in our Member and Associate Member States.

For instance, they can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, aid the transition to renewable energy and prevent fraud, to name just a few. Aerospace applications derived from CERN technologies contribute to fields like space exploration and climate change research. By collaborating on innovation projects with CERN, industry cannot only innovate new state-of-the-art products and processes but also develop their workforce.

We are pleased to share the highlights of CERN's knowledge transfer activities from 2023, which include:

The launch of the CERN Venture Connect (CVC) programme to support entrepreneurs. It provides fast-track access to five CERN state-of-the-art technologies, expert advice and a network of 24 partners, including investor companies and venture incubators.
Eight new projects in the CERN Innovation Programme on Environmental Applications (CIPEA), of which five are with external partners.
The construction of an innovative cancer facility has started thanks to a collaboration with CERN, the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and THERYQ.
The growth of a CERN medtech startup, TERAPET, which has raised 11 MCHF in total (since 2019), has its first product ready for commercialisation and is now employing 15 full time employees.
A collaboration with ABB which has identified a savings potential of 17.4%, equivalent to the power used by 18,000 European households in a year. This research method will be published with lessons learned for the interest of other big science and industrial sites.
CERN taking its place as a key player in the quantum technology community as a member of the European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC).
CERN providing a unique testing environment able to replicate Jupiter’s harsh radiative conditions for the JUICE space mission.

We look forward to continuing this important work in the future, in collaboration with our external partners.

Raphaël Bello, CERN Director for Finance and Human Resources.
Christopher Hartley, CERN Head of Industry, Procurement and Technology Department.