European Collaboration for Global & National Advancement

A Research & Innovation Europe with impact

The European Commission’s priorities include the European Green Deal, a digital future and an economy that works for people. EU-level research and innovation can impact the lives of millions of people and can enable the leading of innovation with European values at their core on the global stage.

For TNO, European collaborative research is a key multiplier. While local developments can help create incremental progress, EU-level collaborations offer TNO many new opportunities. These include shared knowledge development, a challenging and inspiring work environment for TNO employees, competitive funding, new networks and impact that contributes to TNO’s ability to maintain a world-class knowledge base for the Dutch economy and society. It is our role to support and facilitate the engagement of Dutch industry partners, especially SMEs, in the European R&I arena.

Contributing to European Research & Innovation

TNO is active at every level of EU project development. From policymaking discussions in Brussels to the development of EU project frameworks to the execution of cross-border collaborations for stronger societal development. TNO is an active contributor to FP7, Horizon 2020 – in particular though its European partnerships.

Together with EARTO and Neth-ER, TNO contributes to discussions about how to make research, development and innovation in Horizon Europe’s new research program (2021-2027) as impactful as it can be. In this way, we not only strengthen the Europe-wide innovation proposition, but also our own innovation strategy and the Dutch economy. We also secure our position as a leader in mission-based policy: approaching innovation from the perspective of the societal challenge it addresses, rather than from a position of technology push.

Strategic collaboration for impactful RD&I

As an extension of our work on Horizon Europe, TNO actively engages in structural and programmed cooperation with European partners, in the form of field labs, joint innovation centres, innovation hubs, consortia undertaking European framework programme projects and public-private partnerships. We are convinced that this—combined with our own individual projects—is the best way to tackle the huge innovation challenges we face.

Growing stronger, together

TNO takes a systematic and holistic approach to innovation. Reaching far beyond ‘technology for technology’s sake’, this approach examines all aspects of our lives – including the ethical and social questions about how the technology is applied and used. We engage in multidisciplinary teams and aim to develop complete solutions that take human factors, business and social needs, as well as governmental policies, into account.

TNO will remain thought leaders at the forefront of EU collaboration projects. This will ensure that our impact on the industry and on society is powerful, relevant and enduring. And that our strategic direction and that of the EU continue to strengthen each other.

Want to read more about TNO’s EU project collaborations? Read about our most recent projects here.