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CERIC-ERIC at the TechConnect Europe Innovation Conference & Expo in Malmö

Ilona Trtíková

The TechConnect Europe Innovation Conference & Expo took place in Malmö, Sweden, from 15th to 17th November 2021. The aim of the conference was to connect top applied research and early-stage technologies from universities, labs and start-ups with industry and investment end-users and prospectors. The CERIC-ERIC (Central European Research Infrastructure Consortium) also presented the latest results of its research in the field of materials, biomaterials and nanotechnology at the event.

First TechConnect event outside of the U.S.

TechConnect is the global research and innovation event and media leader with more than 20 years of experience connecting emerging technologies with unique funding and partnership opportunities. TechConnect actively supports student, governmental and global S&T initiatives through its event platforms and over 10 000 open-access publications. Each year TechConnect prospects, vets and connects thousands of emerging technologies for industry, investment and government clients.

A significant reason for the choice of Malmö as the setting for TechConnect’s first ever event outside the United States was its location in Skåne, the southernmost region in Sweden. The area has one of the hottest start-up scenes in Scandinavia and is brimming with expert knowledge in both academics and industry. It was recently ranked in the top 10 most innovative EU regions, and is where one can especially find cutting-edge work in the advanced materials and life science sectors.

CERIC-ERIC at the event

CERIC-ERIC as a supporting partner of the event

CERIC-ERIC is a multidisciplinary research infrastructure open for basic and applied users in the fields of materials, biomaterials and nanotechnology. With a single entry point to excellent facilities in Central and Eastern Europe, it allows structural investigation, analysis and synthesis of materials, using photon, electron, neutron and ion based techniques. It enables the delivery of innovative solutions to societal challenges in the fields of energy, health, food, cultural heritage and more. The Czech Republic is involved in CERIC-ERIC through the SPL-MSB large research infrastructure project, which is a merger of the Surface Physics Laboratory (SPL) in Prague and the Material Science Beamline Laboratory (MSB) in Trieste, Italy. The SPL-MSB achieves excellence in research on surfaces and surface processes, and through CERIC-ERIC researchers from all over the world have open access to its research facilities.

The rich programme of TechConnect Europe included tracks for “Biotech & Healthtech”, “Energy & Sustainability” as well as “Advanced Materials”. In addition, there were a Big Science Facilities Summit and various satellite meetings held also under “Commercialization & Partnering” track.