A new Business Incubation Centre of CERN technologies – the third of its kind – has opened at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway.

The centre will provide new technology-transfer opportunities to bridge the gap between basic science and industry, supporting businesses and entrepreneurs in taking innovative technologies related to high-energy physics from technical concepts to market reality.

On a recent visit to CERN, a delegation from NTNU met students from the NTNU School of Entrepreneurship (NSE). Students from NSE visit CERN annually on an education programme run in collaboration with the CERN Knowledge Transfer group. The programme, on which the students assess the market potential of CERN technologies, has yielded two start-up companies in the last two years.

The Trondheim campus that will host the new centre has an established collaboration with CERN for the creation of new companies based on CERN technologies.

"We are happy this new centre is opening, and hope to see more in the future," says Giovanni Anelli, who leads CERN's Knowledge Transfer Group. "The collaboration with NTNU is very effective and will help scouting for new interesting projects for the Incubator." 

The Business Incubation Centre will support the development and exploitation of innovative ideas in technical fields broadly related to CERN activities in high-energy physics such as detectors, cooling technology and high-performance computing. CERN will contribute with the transfer of technology and know-how through technical visits to CERN, support at the BIC and preferential-rate licensing of CERN intellectual property. NTNU will provide office space, expertise, and business advice. Companies in the incubator can get access to internal funding from NTNU and help with raising external funding.