Challenge Us: INL launches an open innovation programme for industry

The International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) is launching “Challenge Us!”, an open innovation programme designed to bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and real industry needs.

Supported by the TECHLINK project and funded by COMPETE 2030, the programme runs on a rolling basis from April 2026 to June 2027, giving companies a sustained window to bring their toughest R&D problems to one of Europe’s leading nanotechnology laboratories.

How it works

The premise is simple: companies submit their unresolved R&D challenges/ unmet technological needs, and INL takes it from there.

Each accepted challenge is matched with an interdisciplinary team at INL, who works alongside the company during a dedicated one-day hackathon to co-develop concept-level solutions. The goal is to deliver a proof-of-concept roadmap that maps out the path to scalability.

What kinds of challenges qualify?

Challenge Us! is open to companies operating across all sectors.

To be considered, a challenge should meet the following criteria:

• It falls within INL’s areas of expertise
• It is of strategic importance to the company
• No viable market solution currently exists
• It includes a clearly quantified problem statement
• It is suitable for rapid prototyping

What to expect after applying

Companies can expect a response within 10 working days of submission. If successful, an initial meeting with INL is arranged to align expectations and logistics. Challenge presentations take place one month before the hackathon, and at the end, companies receive their proof-of-concept roadmap. From there, INL is open to exploring longer-term collaboration routes to bring solutions to life.

Ready to challenge us?

INL is already accepting submissions and companies are encouraged to submit more than one challenge. Please note, it is required to submit one form per challenge.

If your organisation has an R&D problem that has remained unsolved, bring it to us!