Projects related to Big Science are a huge opportunity not only for scientists and researchers but also for businesses from different sectors. Big Science institutions, such as CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) are eager to start cooperation with them. The Poland@CERN 2019 is intended to strengthen and develop such collaboration.
From Wrocław to Geneva
The Poland@CERN 2019 is organized by Wroclaw Technology Park (WTP) ana National Centre for Research and Development. Representatives of companies that already perform contracts for CERN and of those that intend to start such cooperation are going to Geneva, where CERN headquarters are located, together with the polish CERN Industry Liaison Officer (ILO) , on 2 April 2019. For 3 days, they will attend sessions and networking meetings intended to develop collaboration between Polish business environment and the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
“One of CERN’s mottos is ‘Accelerating Science’. Our understanding of Big Science is similar – we consider it to be designing of the future due to the fact that transfer of the technologies developed in the largest global research centers can help companies grow and affect lives of all of us.” commented Maciej Potocki, the President of Wroclaw Technology Park.
One should realize that without such institutions as CERN, there would be no websites, capacitative touch screens, solar panels, and even wireless headphones. “Commercialization of the results of the research conducted at Big Science institution changes our daily lives and provides amazing opportunities for growth of companies. This is why we perform such projects as Poland@CERN and BIG SCIENCE HUB,” added Potocki.
Solid background, strong potential
Polish companies and institutes are discovering the potential of Big Science. They are entering this market with increasing courage and win contracts from the largest research centers, such as CERN, ITER, ESS, and ESA. They can participate in tenders organized by those institutions, often on preferential terms because Poland is a member country. “Our economy focuses more and more on innovations and the high-tech sector, and our technologies and the facilities of our companies enable them to compete with high-technology enterprises from all over the world,” commented Sylwia Wójtowicz, CERN Industry Liaison Officer and the Commercialization and Development Director of WTP. Certainly, this is facilitated by business environment institutions, such as Wrocław Technology Park which, from the very start of its existence, has been involved in the Big Science market.
“Thanks to our research and development facilities, our network of contacts, and the activity of CERN ILO and ILO of Fusion For Energy (which coordinates the construction of ITER on behalf of European Union) at WTP, we can support companies in winning and performing contracts for Big Science centers like no other institution in Poland. Such work brings effects,” added Maciej Potocki.
Not only in Wrocław and Lower Silesia, but also in the entire country there are companies that perform various contracts for CERN. They include for exapmle companies operated at WTP as KrioSystem and Techtra, but also SME like Świdnicka Fabryka Urządzeń Przemysłowych or ZAP S.A. Poland@CERN 2019 mission will involve companies from all over Poland that are leaders in their sectors.
“CERN is a huge organization and this is an opportunity to present our offer in Geneva to a large group of potential customers. We have been CERN’s supplier for many years. We hope that during Poland@CERN 2019 mission we will start cooperation with new departments of the institution and will establish direct contacts with scientists and engineers performing research and development projects in cryogenics and related areas,” said Piotr Grzegory, President of KrioSystem.
The mission will also be an opportunity to learn about different ways to start cooperation with CERN and to translate that knowledge into commercial success. Companies can cooperate with CERN not only by performing specific contracts for the organization, but also by transferring technologies developed there into the commercial market.
“We are a regular, qualified supplier of GEM foils to CERN. We have obtained the technology of its production from the European Organization for Nuclear Research under an open license, which was one of the basis for our success in the market. Currently we are the only European manufacturer of these foilsand we sell them to various customers worldwide. Cooperation with CERN has enabled us to improve our competencies in electronics and IT. We hope to intensify our cooperation which, from the very beginning, was based on partner relations,’ commented Piotr Bielówka, President of TECHTRA.
However, not only those companies that are already cooperating with the European Organization for Nuclear Research will fly to Geneva. Some of them are already present in the high-tech sector and cooperate with other research organizations and consider the Poland@CERN 2019 mission as an opportunity to enlarge their customer base.
“Scanway has experience in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) and, consequently, we are no strangers in the Big Science market. As we grew, we became one of the few companies in Poland that have strong competencies related to the performance of projects in the field of optics; as a result of this, among other things, we work for customers in many sectors, including oil and gas, automotive, R&D, and heavy industry. We constantly monitor the activity and tender procedures announced by centers such as CERN. We hope that our visit in Geneva during Poland@CERN 2019 mission will enable us to start new business contacts that will result in cooperation with CERN,” summed up Jędrzej Kowalewski, CEO of Scanway.
Plan of the mission
Poland@CERN 2019 will start on 2 April with a session where the current cooperation of the Polish business environment with CERN will be evaluated and where the challenges faced by, and the prospects of, the community will be identified. Also, sessions will be held to present the possibility of business cooperation with CERN and the ways to promote Big Science in Poland, including BIG SCIENCE HUB website that integrates business and science. The mission will continue until 4 April. During the following days, meetings will be held between Polish entrepreneursand engineers and specialists from the procurement office of CERN.
Organizatorami Poland@CERN 2019 są:
The event was under the patronage of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
