About

The ILO-net is the collaboration of Dutch Industrial Liaison Officers who are employed at the scientific research institutes in the Netherlands. The ILO-net is an initiative of the NWO institutes, with a coordinating responsibility for national contributions to Big Science facilities like ESA, ESO, CERN and ITER. 

ILO’s join their forces to connect Dutch high tech industry with Big Science, with the aim to raise geographical return and to support high tech industry in the acquisition of challenging science/technology contracts. Several stakeholders are involved in the ILO-net activities, a.o. branch organizations of industry and the ministries of Economic Affairs and Science and Education.

Main tasks of the ILO-net are:

• Focused distribution of Calls for Tender to high tech companies, and support the tender process
• Promotion of cooperation between companies, both national and international
• Participation in Industrial Fairs and exhibitions at the occasion of scientific assemblies, by organizing a joint company booth
• Holland Branding; promotion of high tech Dutch companies involved in Big Science
• Maintaining a website, issue a regular newsletter and organize meetings

Vision

The Netherlands are spending more than a hundred million euros each year to large international scientific infrastructures. Performing Big Science is only possible through international collaborations of long duration. On top of the revenues for science, high tech companies profit from the national investments.

Big Science is considered as a crucial activity in this respect. High tech companies are challenged to perform at the highest technical levels. Moreover, knowledge and expertise are exchanged in the intensive collaboration between science and industry.

Ambition

The ILO-network wants to act as the national counterpart and centre of expertise for the support of high tech companies who want to be involved in Big Science activities. ILO-net considers itself as part of the joint European efforts to connect science with industry. As a result the geographical return of Dutch investments in Big Science facilities should be significantly improved.