EIRMA EUROPE AISBL

Their core work

EIRMA (European Industrial Research Management Association) is a Brussels-based industry association that helps companies improve how they manage R&D and innovation. In H2020 projects, they serve as the bridge between research infrastructures and industry, bringing expertise in open innovation methodologies, co-innovation processes, and design thinking to help translate scientific breakthroughs into industrial applications. Their core value lies in connecting detection and imaging research communities with companies that can commercialize those technologies.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

EIRMA's early H2020 involvement (2015) was lightweight — a small contribution to ScienceSquared focused on science communication, social media outreach, and public engagement through museums. From 2018 onward, they shifted decisively toward innovation ecosystem building, joining the ATTRACT programme and its Phase 2 successor, both centered on co-innovation, design thinking, and connecting research infrastructures with industry in detection and imaging. The funding jump from €10K to €250K reflects a move from peripheral dissemination roles to substantive innovation management contributions.

EIRMA is deepening its role as an industry connector within research infrastructure programmes, making them a strong partner for projects that need structured industry engagement and technology transfer methodologies.

How they like to work

EIRMA operates exclusively as a participant, never coordinating — consistent with their role as an association that contributes expertise rather than leading research. Across 3 projects they have worked with 15 unique partners in 11 countries, indicating they join broad, pan-European consortia rather than small focused teams. Their repeat involvement in ATTRACT Phase 1 and 2 suggests they build trusted relationships and are invited back when programmes scale up.

Despite only 3 projects, EIRMA has touched 15 partners across 11 countries, reflecting the large-consortium nature of the ATTRACT programme. Their network is broad and pan-European rather than concentrated in any single region.

What sets them apart

EIRMA's distinct value is that they represent the industry voice inside research-driven consortia. While most partners in detection and imaging projects are universities or research infrastructures, EIRMA brings structured methodologies — open innovation, design thinking, co-innovation frameworks — to ensure research outputs actually reach companies. For consortium builders, they fill the gap between "we did great science" and "industry knows about it and wants to use it."

Highlights from their portfolio

• ATTRACT
  Flagship pan-European programme creating a detection and imaging innovation ecosystem, with €250K funding — EIRMA's largest and most impactful H2020 engagement.
• ATTRACT2
  Phase 2 continuation through 2025 signals the programme's success and EIRMA's valued contribution to industry-research bridging.