imec.icon
The imec.icon research program is our successful formula for demand-driven, cooperative research on hardware-, software- and combined hardware/software innovations. Over a period of typically two years, multi-disciplinary research teams of scientists, industry partners and/or social profit organizations work together to develop digital solutions that find their way into the market offer of the participating partners. The program has already resulted in over 50 completed projects in a wide range of application domains and markets including healthcare, industry 4.0, mobility, smart cities, energy, media and education.
What does imec.icon offer?
Our research program will help you kick-start your project. Imec.icon offers:
- Collaboration and research tailored to the needs of the consortium partners
- Access to the expertise of academics and industry partners
- A route to valorization through the industry partners
- Aligned procedure with VLAIO and Innoviris
Who can participate?
Imec.icon is all about creating the ideal consortium of partners to solve a practical need. This consortium brings together companies (SMBs and large enterprises) and imec researchers, potentially complemented with stakeholders (governments, non-profit, social-profit) or international companies, other research groups or research institutes.
A special extension of the program is Media ICON, which specifically targets the challenges faced by the Flemish media sector. Media ICON supports projects that address goals such as making sure that consumers find their way to Flemish media content, improving the efficiency or quality of media productions, building the media platforms of the future, and countering desinformation.
How can you join the imec.icon program?
Your consortium can submit a project description to one of our two competitive calls per year. The procedure mainly consists of two phases, an abstract submission and a full proposal submission. Based on the abstract, your pitch and the expert panel's advice, the imec Management Board accepts or rejects the project idea. Acceptance will come with an invitation to enter the second phase and submit a full proposal. Rejection means the procedure is halted. Upon approval of your full proposal, the consortium gets permission to start its research at the official start date. If external partners wish to start earlier, they can do so at their own risk, from the first day of the month following the submission of an eligible full proposal.
Do you have an innovative idea in ICT, our health and care sector, the manufacturing industry or other domains? Get in touch with us and discover how our imec.icon cooperative research program can help you kick-start your project.
Are you interested in working with imec? Get in touch with Steven Van Assche, imec.icon program director. He will be happy to answer your questions and provide you all the required information.
