Annual Network Presidents’ Dinner

Blue skies ahead? Strengthening the value chain between fundamental science and industrial R&D

In recent years, political awareness has grown of the role of basic research in providing knowledge foundations that may allow us to more effectively tackle the future challenges that the planet will inevitably face. The COVID crisis equally demonstrated the vital importance of a high-functioning innovation value chain, where companies and leading scientific organisations are able to work in close proximity and trusted spaces to accelerate the translation of fundamental research to market-ready solutions. The central question, therefore, is what Europe and other key R&D countries can do to make this modus operandi the norm in R&I strategy and policy in the years ahead.