Digital Innovation Hubs

Back

DIH Profile

IMEC

Hub Information

Hub Name
IMEC
Local Name
IMEC
Evolutionary Stage
Fully operational
Geographical Scope
International

Description

Imec is the world-leading R&D and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technology.
As a trusted partner for companies, start-ups and academia we bring together brilliant minds from all over the world in a creative and stimulating environment.
By leveraging our world-class infrastructure and local and global ecosystem of diverse expert partners across a multitude of industries, we accelerate progress towards a connected, sustainable future

Imec is een wereldspeler in het domein van onderzoek en innovatie in nano-elektronica en digitale technologie. Als een vertrouwenspartner voor bedrijven, start-ups en onderzoeksorganisaties, brengen we briljante geesten van over de hele wereld samen in een creatieve en stimulerende omgeving. Door gebruik te maken van onze infrastructuur van wereldklasse en de lokale en globale ecosystemen van onze partners verspreid over verschillende sectoren, versnellen we het proces naar een geconnecteerde, duurzame toekomst.

Contact Data

Coordinator
IMEC
Year Established
1984
Location
Kapeldreef, 75, 3001, Leuven (Belgium)
Website
https://www.imec-int.com/en/home
Social Media
Contact information
Anne Van Den Bosch
Anne.vandenBosch@imec.be
+32 16 28 16 82

Organisation

Organizational form
(part of) Public organization (part of RTO, or university)
Turnover
>5.000.000
Number of employees
>100

Technologies

  • Organic and large area electronics
  • Micro/nano electronics
  • Sensory systems
  • Photonics and imaging technologies
  • Screens and display technologies
  • Communication networks
  • Cyber physical systems
  • Robotics
  • Internet of things
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Mobility & Location based technologies
  • Interaction technologies
  • Cyber security
  • Advanced, or high performance computing
  • Big data, data analytics, data handling
  • Virtual, augmented and extended reality
  • Simulation, modelling and digital twins
  • Gamification
  • Software as a service and service architectures
  • Cloud computing
  • Logistics
  • Internet services
  • New media technologies

The activities of the hub are well aligned with the Belgian national initiative for digitising industry, MADE DIFFERENT – Factories of the future.

The hub's coordinating organisation has also actively participated in the Innovation for Manufacturing SMEs (I4MS), Smart Anything Anywhere (SAE), Open Data and Robotics initiatives of the European Commission through the H2020 funded projects: SmartEEs, EuroPractice, Actphast, L4MS, BOOST4.0,  DIH-HERO and SmartAgriHubs. 

Market and Services

Sectors

  • Agriculture and food
  • Maritime and fishery
  • Mining and quarrying
  • Energy and utilities
  • Construction
  • Wholesale and retail
  • Tourism (incl. restaurants and hospitality)
  • Transport and logistics
  • Real estate, renting and business activities
  • Public administration
  • Education
  • Life sciences & healthcare
  • Community, social and personal service activities
  • Manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco
  • Manufacture of textiles and textile products
  • Manufacture of leather and leather products
  • Manufacture of wood and wood products
  • Manufacture of pulp, paper and paper products; publishing and printing
  • Manufacture of coke, refined petroleum products and nuclear fuel
  • Manufacture of chemicals, chemical products and man-made fibres
  • Manufacture of rubber and plastic products
  • Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products
  • Manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products
  • Manufacture of machinery and equipment
  • Manufacture of electrical and optical equipment
  • Manufacture of transport equipment
  • Other Manufacturing
  • Financial services

TRL Focus

  • TRL1 - Basic principles observed and reported
  • TRL2 - Technology concept and/or application formulated
  • TRL3 - Analytical and experimental critical function and/or characteristic proof of concept
  • TRL4 - Component and/or breadboard validation in laboratory environment
  • TRL5 - Component and/or breadboard validation in relevant environment
  • TRL6 - System/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment
  • TRL7 - System prototype demonstration in an operational environment
  • TRL8 - Actual system completed and qualified through test and demonstration

Services provided

  • Awareness creation
  • Ecosystem building, scouting, brokerage, networking
  • Visioning and Strategy Development for Businesses
  • Collaborative Research
  • Concept validation and prototyping
  • Testing and validation
  • Pre-competitive series production
  • Digital Maturity Assessment
  • Incubator/accelerator support
  • Voice of the customer, product consortia
  • Access to Funding and Investor Readiness Services
  • Mentoring
  • Education and skills development
  • Other

Service Examples

Imec's research into renewable energy and intelligent energy systems is done in close collaboration with Energyville. Energyville combines the expertise of four Flemish research centers, imec, VITO, KU Leuven and the University of Hasselt. EnergyVille aims to become the global leader of intelligent and efficient energy systems for a sustainable urban environment with research focusing on eg integration of renewable energy in the urban environment, storage of electrical energy and heat, the development of local DC networks and the coupling with electricity and heating networks, ..

Deknudt Mirrors and Group De Keyzer turned to imec for its broad expertise in nano-electronics and smart systems to assist with the integration of live camera images in high-resolution and under highly varying light circumstances, the realization of electronics suitable for frequent use in very humid conditions and the packaging of the complex system in a cost-efficient way for the consumer market.
The new mirror is part of a bathroom cabinet with two pivoting panels, each with a mirror on the inside. In the left panel, a camera is integrated that streams images in real-time and high-resolution to a tablet-sized display that is seamlessly incorporated in the right panel. Functional LED lighting is added for a perfect rear view of the users’ head, neck and back.

Within the iFest imec.icon project, a new generation of digital festival bracelet was developed. The bracelets enable concertgoers to  enjoy an enhanced and more complete concert experience. The digital bracelet combines sensors, actuators, built-in communication with an app. Concerts are just one of the possible use-cases. The technology can also be used for congresses, where you can fit it into a badge instead of a bracelet and then use it to direct delegates to the right hall or meeting room, enable people to vote – and so on.

A second outcome from the iFest project is new and improved wireless technology for locating and monitoring large groups of people. The main challenge here was to develop reliable technology that works just as well in an empty space as it does in a crowded room where there’s lots of reflection. The possibilities for this technology are endless: for example, lifesavers at the coast could use this technology to locate children who have gone wandering off on the beach to within two or three centimeters – even at the busiest times.

https://www.iminds.be/en/projects/ifest

Funding

  • Horizon 2020
  • National basic research funding
  • Other

Customers

Number of customers annually
>50
Type of customers
  • Start-up companies
  • SMEs (<250 employees)
  • MidCaps (between €2-10 billion turnover)
  • Large companies, multi-nationals

    • Partners

    • IMEC
    Last updated: 29/11/18 10:23