ARCTIK SRL

Their core work

ARCTIK is a Brussels-based SME that provides communication, dissemination, and visualization services for European research projects focused on climate, environment, and energy. Their recurring presence across technically diverse projects — from sewage treatment to polar research to open science infrastructure — indicates they deliver cross-cutting services like climate impact visualization, stakeholder communication, and project outreach rather than deep technical research. They translate complex scientific outputs into accessible formats for policymakers, businesses, and the public.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2015-2019, ARCTIK focused on specific application domains: climate risk management and adaptation (IMPREX), urban climate services (Climate-fit.City), energy behaviour change in households (DOMINO), and water treatment (POWERSTEP). From 2019 onward, their work shifted toward broader systemic challenges — multi-hazard risk frameworks (MYRIAD-EU), water-energy-food nexus governance (GoNEXUS), remote climate effects on European trade and policy (RECEIPT), and open science infrastructure (EOSC Future). This evolution reflects a move from single-sector communication toward complex, cross-sectoral and systems-level science communication.

ARCTIK is expanding from climate-specific communication toward cross-sectoral systems thinking and open science, making them relevant for projects that need to communicate complex interdependencies to non-specialist audiences.

How they like to work

ARCTIK operates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator, which is typical for a specialized service provider embedded in larger research teams. With 220 unique partners across 36 countries from just 10 projects, they work in large, diverse consortia and rarely repeat partnerships — suggesting they are sought out for their specific skill set rather than relying on a fixed network. This makes them easy to integrate into new consortia without existing allegiance conflicts.

Exceptionally broad network for an SME of their size: 220 unique partners across 36 countries built through 10 large consortia. Their Brussels base and pan-European project portfolio give them connections across virtually all EU member states and associated countries.

What sets them apart

ARCTIK occupies a niche as a climate and environment communication specialist that can operate across very different technical domains — from polar science to urban water to energy infrastructure. Their strength is not in generating research but in making research results accessible and impactful through visualization and dissemination. For consortium builders, they solve the perennial problem of WP communication and public engagement with a team that genuinely understands climate science context.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EOSC Future
  Their largest project (EUR 810K) and a departure from climate into open science infrastructure — signals expansion of their service offering
• MYRIAD-EU
  Multi-hazard risk framework project combining systems analysis with disaster risk management and adaptive pathways — shows their capacity for complex cross-sectoral communication
• RECEIPT
  Focused on remote climate effects on European trade and policy, with explicit climate impact visualization and stakeholder-driven storylines — core to their expertise identity