BIG SCIENCE
Since 2019, ANI has acted as the Industrial Liaison Officer (ILO) for international scientific organizations. CERN, ITER, and ESRF are the main entities for which the agency is mandated to perform the ILO role, through which it mobilizes national companies to participate in the technological procurement markets of these “Big Science”.
“Big Science” is a concept that encompasses scientific projects with high levels of ambition and technological challenge, requiring the coordination of large teams of scientists and engineers, as well as significant investments. In addition to CERN, ITER, and ESRF, ANI also more informally follows the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI), the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), and the Einstein Telescope (ET), as well as a procurement market involving dozens of other European scientific organizations.
The ILO maintains direct contact with companies interested in this market, distributes relevant information about business opportunities, promotes information sessions, technical visits, meetings, and other networking events, and intercedes in the appropriate forums of these organizations to defend the interests of Portuguese companies.
Organizations for which ANI acts as Industrial Liaison Officer (ILO):
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) is the most important European center for particle physics research. It was founded in 1954, is headquartered near Geneva (CH), and has scientific instruments installed on a campus along the French-Swiss border. Portugal has been a member since 1986, currently contributing around 1% of CERN’s budget, with scientific participation ensured by the Laboratory for Instrumentation and Experimental Particle Physics (LIP). All relevant information about CERN’s procurements can be found on the dedicated page, including all active “Market Surveys” (for contracts valued at over 200,000 Swiss Francs) and the supplier database, where interested companies should register.
THE ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is a major international nuclear fusion project based in Cadarache (southern France). Its members include the European Union, the U.S.A., the Russian Federation, China, Japan, South Korea, and India, each of which has a domestic agency responsible for delivering its contribution to the project, mainly in kind. The European agency is Fusion for Energy (F4E), headquartered in Barcelona. Portuguese companies can access contracts through the European agency, which provides information on its Industry Portal, as well as through the ITER Organization, which provides information on its respective page.
O ESRF ESRF (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility), located in Grenoble (FR), is one of the most advanced X-ray sources in the world, hosting around 50 experimental beamlines for research in materials and biomolecules.
Portugal is a scientific associate of ESRF, contributing 1% of the budget, allowing national companies to participate in the procurement market. Commercial opportunity information is communicated directly through the ILO.
Big Science Portugal
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
ANI represents Portugal at the CERN “Knowledge Transfer Forum” and also follows technology transfer activities within the scope of contracts from the European domestic agency for ITER, Fusion for Energy. More information on these initiatives can be found through the links below:
CAREERS
Between 1993 and 2013, the Agência de Inovação (AdI) coordinated the implementation of the Technological Internships program in international scientific organizations (CERN, ESA, ESO). Since 2014, this program has been managed by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).
The Technological Internships program allows young engineers to spend 1 to 2 years in these organizations developing technological projects, supported by FCT. This program typically accepts applications during the September/October period.
In addition to the national Technological Internships program, these organizations have their own programs, to which Portuguese students or young researchers and engineers can apply. For more information, visit the respective pages:
CONTACTS
Find out how to get full support and expert advice. ANI has a team of Coordinators who are always available to assist you.