The ERIC Forum Annual Meeting 2025 featured a dedicated satellite event exploring ERIC-industry relationships on its second afternoon. The seminar opened with presentations from two keynote speakers, followed by an overview of an upcoming Work Package 9 report on ERIC-industry collaboration, to be published by the ERIC Forum 2 project.
The event concluded with two panel discussions examining both strategic perspectives and operational approaches to industry collaboration. In this interview, Pia Kinhult from European Spallation Source ERIC, representing the organizing team, shares insights about the event.
How and why did Work Package 9 (WP9) organize this satellite event? Which aspects of the relationship with industry did you want to highlight?
The event was part of deliverable for WP9 and it was organized by the working group for 9.2 with a very nice support from the responsible for the ERIC Forum summit. What was important to high light was the why and how for ERICs to develop a public-private partnership with industry. A toolbox for ERICs was presented as part of the upcoming report.
What are the main challenges when it comes to the relationship with industry?
There are a few major challenges; being able to prioritize and find time to build knowledge and relations. These relations take time and there is no quick fix to solve it. This can be hard to defend short term when budgets are strained. Other challenges are learning what industry needs, what can you as an ERIC deliver, and then find the right way of communicating this both to industry and internally. In some areas there is also prejudices between what is science and fundamental work and the applied needs of industry. The knowledge of each other is sometimes lacking. This needs to be bridged and that can take time.
The relationship with industry is often mentioned as one pathway when discussing ERIC sustainability. Was this topic addressed during the meeting? What insights emerged from the discussion?
To some extent this was addressed and the rep from the European Commission was very clear that all actors in the eco system of innovation in EU needs to work closer together. Otherwise solving the societal challenges will be hard. In the panel discussions there were many voices underlining this argument but also some that warned about the risk going into only demand driven research and missing the blue sky needed. At the same time almost all speakers agreed that we need to be able and do both.
What are your hopes for the ERIC community?
The hopes are that more ERICs will develop ways of knowledge transfer and collaborate closer with relevant industry. This is not a thing relevant for all ERICs, but many can do this. And that the collaborations will make ERICs part of increasing the competence and competitiveness of Europe. Put us all back in a leading global position.
In “Bridging Science and Industry: ERIC Forum Explores Improved Collaboration Models,” it was noted that “a key takeaway from the event was the shared agreement on the critical role of diversity and inclusiveness in innovation.” Could you elaborate on why this was significant?
Today there is many publications showing clearly that organizations growth and success increase when management and labor force is diverse. Also playing an important part in a global competition all companies and other actors need to have a better understanding of different cultures and ways of being. A diverse but also inclusive culture of organizations makes the ability grow and creates resilience.
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