Facilitating open innovation in micro and nano technology by providing open access to a pan-European toolbox called EUMINAfab

EUMINAfab is a European Research Infrastructure (ERI) in the context of European initiatives such as the anticipated technology platform for micro and nano manufacturing (MINAM) or nanofuture. EUMINAfab is funded as a 4 year project by the European Commission (EC) in the frame of FP7 " Capacities". In first instance, EUMINAfab integrates the scientific and technological skills of 10 partners from 8 countries to create a Pan-European toolbox for micro and nanotechnologies for structuring and characterizing a multitude of functional materials. This toolbox is open to external users from industry and academia on a proposal basis. It offers open access to 36 installations from 8 leading European micro and nano centers, 4 of which are from industry. EUMINAfab aims at lowering barriers that are mainly faced by small and medium enterprises, which - for several reasons - tend to be reluctant in exploiting the promises of emerging technologies such as multimaterial micro and nanotechnologies. In the midterm the consortium will develop advanced access modes to state-of-the-art micro and nano technologies and offers specific technical solutions to its users, thus representing a new route to open innovation for its users. The EC supports transnational access to EUMINAfab's installations by reimbursing access costs of the installations and the travel expenses of its users.