Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

Enhance scientific research and encourage innovation is CERN’s core mission. CERN is a hub of world-class fundamental physics research, pushing the frontiers of human knowledge. Reaching ambitious scientific objectives requires the development of advanced instruments and new technologies, making CERN a driver of innovation.

The CERN Knowledge Transfer group provides advice, support, training, network and infrastructure to ease the transfer of CERN’s know-how to industry and eventually society. The CERN Knowledge Transfer Fund bridges the gap between research and industry, so that society can benefit from science outcomes. CERN has also established a network of 9 Business Incubation Centres (BICs) throughout its member states to assist entrepreneurs and small technology businesses in taking CERN technologies and expertise to the market.

CERN’s itself runs across the border of two nations, hosting the largest scientific infrastructure ever built. Here the World Wide Web was born, for allowing an ever increasing number of scientists to share information. And it is where big data management systems allow the analysis of physics data and more, like the UNOSAT maps.

Companies from all member states and beyond contribute to the realisation and the maintenance of it, giving back resources and competences to society also through its industrial actors. And not only through procurement, but also with Public Private Partnerships, as in the IT sector (CERN openlab).

"CERN contributes to building a culture of entrepreneurship, this culture has a concrete impact outside of CERN, and there are currently 18 start-ups and spin-offs using CERN technologies."
- Fabiola Gianotti, CERN Director-General