ATTRACT, an initiative run by research infrastructures, industry experts, and business and innovation specialists, recently hosted its anticipated Pre-Final Conference at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. This event, held on June 12-13, spotlighted the progress and potential of the 36 cutting-edge projects funded under ATTRACT phase 2.
The ATTRACT project enables the transition of technologies generated mainly for fundamental research purposes toward industrial and societal applications. It started with phase 1, where 170 breakthrough projects were awarded seed funding to develop a proof-of-concept. Following this success, ATTRACT phase 2 is accelerating the pathway of deep tech from the lab to the market with potential applications in science, industry, and society, whilst involving young entrepreneurs within this ecosystem.
The two-day conference featured workshops, presentations, and discussions, offering insights into ATTRACT’s impact and the most significant milestones achieved by the projects. In total, more than 100 people participated, who could engage with the entire ecosystem.
“This was a great opportunity to gather all the funded projects and to provide them with a platform to demonstrate their advances and potential impact on society. The aim of the conference was also to foster a collaborative environment where researchers, students, and industry experts can share ideas and build relationships for future innovations”, remarked Michael Krisch, Ad Interim Director of Research at ESRF and Chair of the ATTRACT project Consortium Board.
Empowering collaboration within the ATTRACT ecosystem
During the first day, in addition to the Student Programs and R&D&I projects presentations, attendees could participate in two parallel sessions designed for specific audiences: the Trends, Wishes and Dreams (TWD) workshop and the Academy Trainer’s workshop.
The TWD workshop, led by CERN, was aimed at students and early career scientists who had the opportunity to participate in discussions on innovative concepts in detector and imaging technologies. The Trainer’s workshop, led by the ATTRACT Academy Facilitation team, brought together teachers and trainers actively engaged within the Student Programs, and it helped them to reflect on the project comprehensively, identifying key insights to be shared and potential next steps or collaborations.
“We believe that this workshop not only contributed to the discussion of good practices made within the last few years but also acknowledged the dedication of teachers and trainers who have been instrumental in nurturing young talent and fostering a collaborative learning environment, which is pivotal to the success of all the projects”, commented Vikki Eriksson, Head of Research at Aalto University Design Factory.
On the second day, the Socioeconomic Studies, which seek to evaluate the processes and outcomes of ATTRACT, showcased their progress and discussed different topics such as experimentation in science commercialization policy, networked innovation, Open Innovation education and psychological training, and entrepreneurship education, among many others.
It should be noted that students participating in this second phase had the chance to present the prototypes they have developed using ATTRACT technologies, aiming to address different social challenges. Additionally, this provided an excellent opportunity for them to reconnect with researchers and coaches who played a crucial role throughout the entire process.
Here you can see the program of the conference.
