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Great opportunities for companies and researchers

Great opportunities for companies and researchers

Vinnova is here to support business opportunities between Swedish companies and large-scale research facilities such as ESS, CERN, ESO, ITER and others. We support suppliers and users, including industry, researchers and contractors.

Big Science Sweden - Sweden’s Industrial Liaison Office (ILO)

Big Science Sweden is the name of Sweden’s official Industrial Liaison Office secretariat. The organisation was created to promote business opportunities between industry and large-scale research facilities such as MAX IV, ISS, CERN and others.

As suppliers to research facilities, Swedish companies are under-represented. At the same time, Sweden is investing large amounts in research facilities, both at home and abroad. There are great opportunities for Swedish companies in this area.

Putting Swedish companies on the map in Big Science

Supplying to research facilities provides companies with many benefits. Firstly it is big business, purely financially; secondly, most companies that have been suppliers in the area feel that their level of innovation increased as a result. Thirdly, companies’ brands are strengthened since they are dealing with prestigious customers.

Businesses need to realise the potential involved in supplying to research facilities. Companies that want to do business with research facilities also need to understand what technologies these establishments need and demand. Sometimes they just need to realize that there is an opportunity. A company that manufactures dental equipment, for example, would be able to use the same technology for supplying to research facilities.

Cooperation with researchers and engineers while supplying complex goods can also lead to technological developments that can be sold on a different market. There are many examples of companies that have developed their technology through supplying to research facilities, at the same time as they have found a large-volume market within a specific industry.