05 May INFN CONNECT: The new initiative to bridge research and the industrial world
From May 5 to June 29, INFN staff will be able to submit technological development proposals to be funded through the new INFN initiative dedicated to technology transfer and the enhancement of research
Co-Innovation, Networking, and Technological Development are the keywords of INFN CONNECT, the new initiative aimed at INFN personnel that seeks to strengthen the link between research and the industrial world.
The vast amount of high-value technologies generated by INFN has application potential in many sectors beyond scientific research; however, this potential often remains untapped because the transition from the laboratory to industrial adoption requires market analysis, industrial relations, intellectual property protection, and application-oriented development—activities that do not all fall within a typical scientific research project.
INFN CONNECT fills this gap, bridging the distance between promising scientific results and their effective use by the production system. The initiative aims to accompany INFN technologies through this transition, integrating scientific expertise, market analysis, and the progressive involvement of companies.
The call, open from May 5 to June 29, 2026, is open to INFN employees and associates, and is structured into two tracks:
Track 1 – Development and preliminary validation
Open to high-potential proposals even in the absence of an already identified industrial partner.
Total budget €100k, up to 10 fundable projects, maximum duration 12 months.
Track 2 – Technological co-development
Reserved for projects with co-financing from an industrial partner.
Total budget €400k, for projects between €30k and €250k, maximum duration 24 months.
“We chose to activate two tracks to respond effectively to market needs,” says Mariangela Cestelli Guidi, coordinator of the INFN Technology Transfer Committee. “Track 1 is aimed at exploratory developments that require a focus on market needs and the search for an industrial partner, while Track 2 is reserved for actual development projects in which the company actively participates. In the subsequent phase of CONNECT, the proposals validated for Track 2 will mature the company’s involvement with the active support of the Technology Transfer Office.”
INFN CONNECT replaces the R4I (Research for Innovation) call which, over nine editions, funded 48 projects with a total allocation of more than one million euros.
“R4I helped create a TT culture within the Institute and generated interesting results,” continues Cestelli Guidi, “but we felt there was a need for more connection with society, and for this reason, we created INFN CONNECT: a new formula for INFN, which aims to truly bring INFN technologies to industrial adoption and generate innovation.”
