Open innovation in research infrastructures: the case of the Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure (ACTRIS)

Open innovation has significantly reshaped the research and development landscape in both academic and industrial settings, emerging as a key paradigm in contemporary innovation management. Originally conceptualized within corporate strategies (Chesbrough, 2015), the concept has since evolved to emphasize cross-organizational knowledge sharing, highlighting the inherently collaborative nature of innovation processes (Bogers et al., 2017; Bamel et al., 2022).

At the core of this paradigm is the collaboration between research and industry, which has the potential to accelerate the technological development and innovation in response to complex economic and societal challenges (Chesbrough, 2015; Perkmann and Walsh, 2007). Rossoni et al. (2024) highlight how societal and policy pressures are increasingly driving the growth of these collaborations. Research organizations are expected to contribute not only to scientific advancement but also to economic growth and societal well-being. At the same time, industrial stakeholders-especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - increasingly seek partnerships with research institutions to access advanced knowledge, infrastructure, and expertise that can enhance their innovation capacity and long-term competitiveness (Tereshchenko et al., 2024). Nevertheless, various barriers persist, including difficulties in integrating external knowledge into internal processes and routines, challenges related to intellectual property (IP) management, and tension between openness and the pursuit of competitive advantage (Sá et al., 2023).

Within this evolving landscape, Research Infrastructures (RIs) are increasingly recognized as strategic actors in the European research and innovation ecosystem (ESFRI, 2018, 2020). These large-scale, publicly funded facilities provide access to state-of-the-art equipment, data and expertise essential for groundbreaking research in various fields. Beyond scientific excellence, RIs are also expected to generate broader societal and economic impact, acting as open innovation platforms where scientific knowledge intersects with industrial application (Gutleber and Charitos, 2025). The development of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN is an example of how RIs can drive innovation through technological procurement. The LHC project led to advancements in various fields, including superconductivity and precision engineering, with several companies benefiting from the technological spillovers (Castelnovo et al., 2018). In the environmental sector, Environmental Research Infrastructures (ENVRI) have collaborated with industry to tackle global issues such as climate change and resource depletion (Chabbi et al., 2017). In the field of predictive ecology, ENVRI provided methodologies and data that enable resource managers to assess market transitions or optimize logistical planning.

Despite growing policy and institutional emphasis on their role in enabling cross-sectoral innovation, collaboration models between RIs and industry remain insufficiently explored in the literature. The following section outlines the research gaps addressed by this study and highlights its contribution within the broader context of open innovation.

RI-industry collaboration has been primarily examined through the university–industry collaboration (UIC) framework (Perkmann and Walsh, 2007). However, RI-industry collaboration develops under distinct institutional, organizational, and strategic dynamics that deserve specific attention and analysis (Dietrichson, 2025). In particular, knowledge and technology transfer (KTT) has long been recognized as a key mechanism for driving innovation in the UIC framework (Perkmann and Walsh, 2007). It occurs through both informal mechanisms, such as personnel mobility, joint supervision of doctoral students, participation in professional networks or workshops, and conferences, as well as formal mechanisms, including patenting, licensing, contract research, and spin-off creation. These formal mechanisms are typically institutionalized through Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) and supported by policy frameworks that promote an institutional model commonly referred to as the entrepreneurial university (Etzkowitz, 2003). This model integrates the traditional missions of teaching and research with the third mission of contributing to economic development through the commercialization of research outputs.

In contrast, RIs function as open innovation platforms, where the production and sharing of knowledge, data, tools, and advanced expertise is guided by scientific and public interest (Gutleber and Charitos, 2025). They operate under the principles of open science—such as transparency, data accessibility, and inclusive participation—which are increasingly institutionalized in European research policy frameworks (European Commission, 2015). In this context, KTT is not primarily market-driven but somewhat shaped by long-term public missions, inter-institutional agreements, and policy priorities (D’Ippolito and Rüling, 2019; Lauto and Valentin, 2013). RIs engage with industry through mission-oriented partnerships aimed at co-developing technologies, standards, and protocols that address complex societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, and the advancement of strategic technologies for the public good.

These features highlight the need for alternative conceptual frameworks that can capture the hybrid, mission-oriented nature of RI–industry collaboration, as well as its grounding in open science principles. To address these gaps, this study aims to explore RI–industry collaboration through the new analytical lens provided by the Open Innovation in Science (OIS) framework (Beck et al., 2020). OIS adapts the open innovation paradigm to scientific research by incorporating Open Science principles into innovation processes. The framework identifies contingent factors and dimensions that shape collaboration across five key stages of the research cycle: agenda setting, funding, research execution, dissemination, and impact assessment.

The study is guided by two main research questions: (RQ1) What types of collaboration exist between RIs and industry, and how do these facilitate knowledge and technology transfer? (RQ2) How does the OIS framework contribute to understanding the institutional logics, governance structures, and innovation pathways that characterize RI–industry collaboration?

To answer these questions, the research adopts a two-phase qualitative design. First, a scoping literature review is conducted to map existing collaboration patterns, identify key barriers and enablers, and knowledge and technology transfer (KTT) mechanisms within the RI–industry context. Second, an in-depth case study of ACTRIS (Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure), a pan-European environmental RI, is carried out to explore how collaborative models with industry contribute to innovation in the environmental domain. The study contributes to the research on RI–industry collaboration within the open innovation paradigm in three ways.

1. It systematizes current knowledge on RI–industry collaboration, highlighting typologies, enabling conditions, and KTT mechanisms that generate innovation outcomes.

2. It adapts and applies the OIS framework to the RI context, offering new theoretical insights into the dynamics of open, cross-sectoral, mission-oriented innovation.

3. It provides empirical evidence on how RIs can function as open innovation platforms, bridging scientific research and industrial application to address pressing environmental challenges.

The remainder of the paper is structured as follows: Section 2 discusses the role of RIs in open innovation, presenting the theoretical framework and the research design, which combines a scoping literature review and an in-depth case study methodology. Section 3 reviews the literature on RI–industry collaboration, focusing on types of interaction, barriers and enablers, and KTT mechanisms. The case study methodology is described in Section 4, while Section 5 analyzes the ACTRIS–industry collaboration and its contribution to innovation. Section 6 discusses the broader implications of these findings for open innovation and societal impact. Finally, Section 7 concludes with managerial and policy implications, outlining research limitations and future research directions.

RIs are large-scale facilities and resources that provide the scientific community, and increasingly external stakeholders such as industry and public authorities, with access to advanced instrumentation, standardized methodologies, and high-quality data to conduct research and foster innovation ^[1]. These infrastructures may include physical spaces such as laboratories, observatories, and data repositories, as well as advanced technological equipment, including particle accelerators, synchrotrons, supercomputing facilities, and simulation chambers (ESFRI, 2020).

Beyond enabling frontier research and contributing to the advancement of scientific excellence, RIs are increasingly functioning as open innovation platforms that connect academia, industry, policy actors and civil society. Through KTT, they bridge scientific discoveries to practical applications, supporting the co-development of technologies and contributing to addressing societal challenges (Beck and Charitos, 2021). Given the scale and complexity of these challenges, international and cross-sectoral collaborations are essential. RIs often operate as multinational entities with shared governance, resources, and funding. This international approach enables diverse expertise and resources to be pooled, advancing research with the potential to generate impact on a global scale (ESFRI, 2018). RIs also play a crucial role in educating the next generation of scientists by providing training programs, fostering mobility, and facilitating the transfer of skills and knowledge, which are essential for maintaining a competitive scientific ecosystem (Kolar et al., 2023).

The commitment to open access is a core principle of RIs, enabling researchers, regardless of institutional or geographical background, to access advanced scientific resources and participate in data collection and experiments at world-class facilities. The European Charter for Access to RIs (European Commission, 2024) builds on this by setting foundational principles for open, transparent, equitable access and collaboration across the European Research Area. It encourages RIs to implement comprehensive access policies for all access modes (physical, remote, virtual and hybrid), specifying the conditions and providing measures that can support users. Following the recommendations of the ESFRI Report (2023), the latest edition of the Charter has introduced a new access mode, the “priority-driven” access, to respond to crisis and or scientific or societal challenges, improving the flexibility of the Rs and their ability to support strategic research advancements and to contribute to societal resilience.

RIs adhere to the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles to ensure that the data generated through research is openly accessible. This facilitates collaboration, as other researchers can build upon existing knowledge. To support the global scientific community and encourage innovation, RIs strive to make research outputs, such as publications and findings, freely available. This aligns with the broader goals of open science, ensuring that research benefits are widely disseminated (Kolar et al., 2023).

The OIS framework provides a conceptual lens for understanding open and collaborative practices in science (Beck et al., 2020). Specifically, the framework has been adapted to RI, positioning the industry as a co-creator within the research and innovation process (Figure 1). It identifies key dimensions through which RI-industry collaboration unfolds and shows how these interactions generate innovation outcomes and broader socio-economic impact. At the framework's core lies the research and innovation process, which is shaped by collaborative practices and KTT mechanisms. These collaborative dynamics are influenced by various barriers (i.e. divergent objectives and conflicting priorities), enablers (i.e. trust-building mechanisms, highly sophisticated equipment), and contingency factors (i.e. resource availability, institutional support, organizational boundaries). Together, these elements determine the outcomes, which may include joint publications, new data and services, or the development of novel technology, instruments, or methodology. Ultimately, these outcomes can have broader societal and economic impacts, including improved environmental monitoring, enhanced industrial competitiveness, and contributions to evidence-based policy and public welfare.

Building on this conceptual framework, the following section presents the research design, which combines a scoping literature review and a qualitative case study to examine ACTRIS–industry collaboration.

The study adopts a qualitative, two-stage research design guided by the adapted OIS framework, which provides the conceptual foundation for analyzing the dynamics of RI-industry collaboration. The OIS framework guides both the structure of the systematic literature review and the analytical focus of the case study, with particular attention to KTT mechanisms, enablers, and barriers, as well as the innovation outcomes arising from these collaborations.

In the first stage, a scoping literature review was conducted to systematically map the existing body of research, particularly in emerging or fragmented fields (Arksey and O'Malley, 2005). The review aimed to identify and categorize existing scholarly contributions that explicitly address RI–industry collaboration, particularly in relation to KTT, innovation dynamics, and socioeconomic impact. A comprehensive search strategy was applied across two major bibliographic databases, Scopus and Web of Science, covering publications from 2010 to mid-2025. Following the screening and selection process, 14 relevant articles were selected and analyzed using the adapted OIS framework. The small number of articles is not a limitation per se, as scoping reviews are considered appropriate even when based on relatively small evidence bases, particularly in emerging and fragmented fields, provided the review process is transparent, systematic, and guided by an exploratory research question (Grønstad, 2025; D’souza and Tapas, 2025).

The second stage of the research employed a qualitative case study design (Stake, 1995; Yin, 2018), focusing on ACTRIS (Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure) (Laj et al., 2024) to explore the dynamics of open innovation and cross-sector collaboration within RIs. The case study approach enables an in-depth analysis of the KTT mechanisms, barriers, enablers, and innovation outcomes that characterize ACTRIS–industry collaboration in a real-world setting. The analysis draws on an extensive body of secondary data, gathered from official ACTRIS documentation produced within EU projects. These data sources include EU project deliverables, strategic policy documents, innovation reports, access management guidelines, and industry engagement portfolios. Central to data collection is the Service Access Management Unit (SAMU), which plays a coordinating role in managing users and industry access to ACTRIS.

RI and industry collaboration is an emerging but still fragmented field of research. To address this fragmentation and map the existing knowledge, this study conducted a scoping literature review (Arksey and O'Malley, 2005), a method increasingly adopted in management research because it helps clarify key concepts and inform practice in emerging fields (Grønstad, 2025).

To ensure comprehensive and multidisciplinary coverage, the review was conducted using two major academic databases: Scopus and Web of Science. Two targeted search queries were applied to the title, abstract, and keyword fields: (1) “Research Infrastructure” AND “industry collaboration”; and (2) “Open Innovation in Research Infrastructures”. Additionally, backward snowballing was carried out by examining the reference lists of included studies to identify further relevant contributions frequently cited in the literature.

The search was restricted to peer-reviewed journal articles in English, published up to February 2025. Filters were applied to include only articles from relevant subject areas such as innovation, research policy, and science and technology studies. The initial search retrieved 156 records (75 from the first query and 81 from the second). After removing 18 duplicates, 138 records were retained. The screening process was conducted independently by two reviewers. During the title and abstract screening phase, 84 articles were excluded because they fell outside the scope; for example, studies on transport or digital infrastructures were not considered pertinent. A total of 54 articles were then selected for full-text assessment, based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria aligned with the study's objectives (Table 1).

After full-text review, 14 studies met all inclusion criteria and were selected for in-depth analysis (Table A1) ^[2]. Dual independent screening and resolution of disagreements by consensus ensured the rigor and reproducibility of the selection process. The entire selection procedure is summarized in a PRISMA flow diagram (Figure 2), which describes the stages of identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion.

Thematic content analysis (Nowell et al., 2017) was then employed to synthesize findings from the selected studies, using a hybrid coding strategy that combined deductive and inductive approaches to ensure both conceptual alignment and empirical richness. Deductive coding was guided by the stages of the adapted Open Innovation in RI framework (Figure 1): knowledge creating, technology co-development, and industrial application. This provided a structured lens for analyzing openness and cross-sectoral collaboration across the research and innovation process, including KTT and socio-economic impact. In parallel, inductive coding was applied to identify emergent themes and the analytical dimensions of the framework: collaboration typologies; barriers; enablers; KTT mechanisms; innovation outcomes and impacts. Table 2 presents an overview of the main findings from the literature review. Each dimension is discussed in detail in the following sections.

A prominent form of collaboration emerging from the reviewed studies is technological procurement, in which firms are engaged in developing and supplying advanced instrumentation and systems tailored to the specific RIs' needs of (Scarrà and Piccaluga, 2022; Castelnovo et al., 2018). This form of collaboration is characterized by iterative co-design, prototyping, testing, and refinement processes, involving close technical interaction between RIs and their industrial suppliers. Technological procurement fosters a mutually reinforcing relationship, where companies benefit from technological learning and spillover effects, which can lead to new product development, patent generation, and diversification into different markets. Empirical evidence from the Italian space sector, for example, shows that firms involved in high-tech public procurement contracts tend to increase their R&D investment and patenting activity over time (Castelnovo et al., 2024). However, such effects emerge only after a “gestation lag”, reflecting the time required for firms to absorb, integrate, and apply newly acquired competencies (Bastianin et al., 2022).

Collaboration is deeply influenced by the length of experiments and the intensity of interaction between users and scientists (D'Ippolito and Rüling, 2019). Short-term, standardized service collaborations cater to inexperienced users, akin to the “full-service” model, facilitating initial access to advanced atmospheric instruments. In contrast, longer-term engagements with experienced industrial users align with the “peer collaboration” model, characterized by co-development of technologies and methodologies. These iterative collaborations foster joint innovation and knowledge exchange, thereby enhancing both scientific output and commercial applicability. An illustrative example of peer collaboration is the co-innovation lab at the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC), developed with VertiSol, a digital technology firm. In this model, cross-functional teams, shared decision-making, and the continuous exchange of expertise support collaborative innovation beyond project-specific outcomes (Cavallo et al., 2022).

Moratal (2024) further emphasizes the evolutionary and dynamic nature of RI–industry collaboration, which often begins in the pre-competitive phase, where scientists and industrial partners collaborate to tackle common challenges and explore potential solutions. These early-stage interactions—often based on shared resources, exploratory research, and mutual learning—can evolve progressively into long-term strategic partnerships, supporting both incremental and breakthrough innovations as trust, capabilities, and alignment of interests strengthen over time.

In parallel, governance frameworks have been developed to support structured, mission-oriented forms of collaboration, particularly in the context of public–private partnerships (PPPs). An example is the U.S. framework for Cooperative Research and Development Agreements – CRADAs (Brand, 2003). CRADAs allow federal research laboratories, core components of the American RI, to engage in joint R&D activities with private firms, universities, or nonprofit organizations. These agreements facilitate the exchange of technical knowledge, access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, and co-development of new technologies, while safeguarding commercial interests through preferential intellectual property licensing.

In the environmental sector, Chabbi et al. (2017) identify two principal models of RI–industry collaboration that reflect different institutional logics and innovation dynamics: the university incubator and the value-added model. The university incubator model is characterized by academic institutions acting as intermediaries that provide services to industrial partners, such as intellectual property (IP) support, access to laboratory and research infrastructure, and mentoring. This model has also been adopted in large-scale RIs such as MAX IV Laboratory and the European Spallation Source, where universities act as intermediaries that facilitate collaborative networks and strengthen regional innovation ecosystems. (Rådberg and Löfsten, 2024). In contrast, the value-added model adopts a more service-oriented approach, in which RIs offer customized services to industry partners, particularly SMEs, within a 2–3-year planning horizon. A defining feature of this model is its reliance on open data, which remains publicly accessible while enabling customized, contract-based analytical services for industry.

Several barriers can affect RI and industry collaboration. These include financial and technological risks, project cyclicity, and cultural divergence (Puliga et al., 2023). Innovation requires substantial R&D investment with uncertain outcomes; this is particularly challenging for small firms that may struggle to absorb the financial consequences of project failures or delays. In addition, the cyclical nature of projects can create operational instability for suppliers, especially the small ones with limited revenue streams to sustain research and innovation activities.

A common barrier is the cultural gap between RI and industry. Differences in organizational culture and objectives, such as the emphasis on scientific exploration versus commercial outcomes, create misalignments at both personal and team levels (Scarrà and Piccaluga, 2022). Divergent timelines for technology readiness can further complicate collaboration (Catalano et al., 2021; Chabbi et al., 2017). While RI prioritizes knowledge creation and long-term scientific inquiry, industry partners focus on commercialization and market readiness, which can lead to conflicting expectations.

Intellectual property (IP) represents another critical challenge. Disputes over IP ownership and difficulties in commercializing research outputs can significantly hinder cooperation (Cavallo et al., 2022). These issues are even more pronounced in highly regulated sectors, such as the pharmaceutical industry, where strict regulatory frameworks complicate the transfer and exploitation of research results (Moratal, 2024). In collaborative R&D and open innovation settings, institutions therefore face the complex task of balancing the protection of their IP with the need to encourage wider industrial uptake and application of the developed technologies.

Enablers, by contrast, are the conditions, resources, and organizational mechanisms that enhance the effectiveness of RI–industry collaboration. They include both tangible, such as access to advanced experimental facilities, and intangible resources, including mutual trust, mobility and staff exchange, and organizational routines that support knowledge integration (Lazzarotti et al., 2025). Across the literature, state-of-the-art equipment consistently emerges as a central driver of RI–industry collaboration: it accelerates technological progress while reducing the financial burden on industrial partners through access to world-class infrastructure for experimentation. Shared workspaces and continuous, frequent problem-solving communication also help reduce conflicts and strengthen partner confidence (Cavallo et al., 2022). Trust is fundamental to any collaboration, as it enables partners to engage in high-risk activities, share resources, and work towards innovation goals.

Workshops, seminars, and training programs can foster mutual trust by providing a forum through which RI and industry actors can demonstrate their competencies, clarify their roles and expectations, and build a shared understanding (Moratal, 2024). Governance mechanisms, such as shared revenue and business models, also help align incentives, mitigate risks, and facilitate joint value creation (Chabbi et al., 2017).

Another important enabler is the presence of team members with prior industrial experience. Cross-sectoral backgrounds help bridge scientific and commercial logics, foster a shared language between researchers and practitioners, and support smoother coordination and trust-building with industry partners (Zhang et al., 2025).

Finally, university leadership and government policies can facilitate RI–industry collaboration and strengthen the regional innovation ecosystem (Rådberg and Löfsten, 2024). Universities can act as boundary spanners at the regional level, while government measures such as targeted funding, tax incentives, and regulatory frameworks can foster industry collaboration.

KTT can be defined as the structured, typically multi-directional exchange of scientific findings and results, including those that are intermediary, between diverse actors within the innovation system, aimed at producing innovations that respond to public needs” (Sinell et al., 2018). Nilsen and Anelli (2016), in their analysis of KTT at CERN, show that a combination of commercial (e.g. licensing, patents, consultancy) and non-commercial mechanisms (e.g. open access, publication, informal exchange), as well as new company creation (spin-off), can ensure effective knowledge diffusion and technological impact.

Among formal mechanisms, licensing is one of the most widely adopted, as it provides industrial partners with rights to use specific technologies or intellectual property (Nilsen and Anelli, 2016; D'Ippolito and Rüling, 2019). Patents may also be used strategically to protect scientific discoveries, ensure responsible use, and control how publicly funded innovations are applied (Moratal, 2024). In highly regulated sectors such as pharmaceuticals, for example, RIs may patent new medical technologies and drugs before transferring them to private firms for production and distribution. Although less structured, consulting is another relevant mechanism as it allows RIs to provide technical expertise directly to firms, facilitating the transfer of specialized knowledge (Nilsen and Anelli, 2016).

Spin-offs represent an additional pathway for KTT, particularly for RIs operating in domains such as life sciences, biotechnology, and engineering. These ventures leverage knowledge and technologies to develop market-oriented solutions, while maintaining strong ties to the RI ecosystem (Rådberg and Löfsten, 2024). However, beyond firm-level innovation, RIs can also generate significant technological spillovers at industry level as shown by CERN's technological procurement (Castelnovo et al., 2018).

KTT is also deeply embedded in informal, relational, and cognitive dynamics of team interactions. Mechanisms such as mobility schemes, training programs, and networking initiatives facilitate the circulation of tacit knowledge and practical skills that are often essential for effective knowledge transfer (Zhang et al., 2025). For example, mobility schemes may involve researchers trained in RIs moving to industry or joint training initiatives, such as workshops and technical courses designed to familiarize industrial staff with RIs' technologies. Sharing expertise within open innovation frameworks is also particularly effective in addressing complex industrial challenges that require multidisciplinary interaction and collaborative problem-solving (Puliga et al., 2023).

Other mechanisms, including Public–Private Co-publications (PPCs) and open data, also play a central role. PPCs are scientific papers co-authored by researchers and industrial partners. They are increasingly recognized as indicators of knowledge transfer and collaborative innovation, reflecting direct industry involvement in scientific research and the application of academic expertise to industry-relevant challenges (Tijssen, 2012). Ultimately, the provision of open data enables industrial partners to leverage high-quality scientific information to design and develop innovative solutions.

The outcomes of RI-industry collaboration are diverse, generating both scientific advancements and broader socioeconomic impacts. Assessing these outcomes and socioeconomic impact is complex but essential for determining and justifying appropriate levels of investment (ESFRI, 2019; OECD, 2019; Griniece et al., 2020). This complexity arises because the societal impact, such as public health and environmental sustainability, cannot be easily captured and quantified through conventional economic indicators. Moreover, the long-term and fundamental research conducted at RIs often produces breakthrough innovations whose value becomes evident only over extended periods and across multiple sectors (Scarrà and Piccaluga, 2022). As a result, impact assessment requires a systemic and multidimensional perspective that considers not only economic but also the broader scientific, technological, social, and policy-related effects generated by RIs.

Several recent European projects, such as RI Impact Pathways (RI-PATHS) ^[3] and RItrainPlus ^[4], aim to strengthen the culture of impact monitoring and evaluation across RIs. In parallel, RI managers – including those at ACTRIS – are developing impact assessment frameworks tailored to specific characteristics of each RI, its life cycle, and its user community.

An important outcome is innovation in terms of new products, services, and technologies. This is particularly prominent in peer collaborations where industrial users and RI scientists jointly engage in technology development (D'Ippolito and Rüling, 2019). Early-stage, pre-competitive collaboration can also evolve into long-term strategic partnerships that generate both incremental and radical innovation (Moratal, 2024). Intangible outcomes may include the acquisition of technical know-how, R&D and innovation capacity, as well as improvements in the quality of products and services (Catalano et al., 2021).

With specific reference to industry collaboration, these outcomes can be considered as intermediate outputs that, in turn, affect the economic performance of industrial partners. Evidence from CERN indicates that firms involved in technological procurement have increased their R&D investment and patenting, resulting in higher revenues and profits (Castelnovo et al., 2018). Additional findings suggest that participation in CERN's high-tech procurement processes enhances firms' technological capabilities, innovation output, and absorptive capacity, thereby contributing to revenue growth, competitiveness, and technology spillovers (Castelnovo et al., 2024). RIs can also contribute to regional economic development through the intermediary role played by universities, which connect them to local industry and thereby support business creation, employment, and industrial competitiveness (Rådberg and Löfsten, 2024). However, Puliga et al. (2023) highlight the limitations of relying solely on output-based measures and emphasize the importance of learning effects, such as the development of new technical competencies and improvements in organizational practices, in supporting innovation.

Finally, some studies highlight the societal impact of RI–industry collaboration, emphasizing the broader public value generated beyond conventional innovation metrics. For instance, research on RIs in the environmental domain shows that collaboration with industry not only supports advanced ecosystem monitoring but also contributes to the development of solutions to pressing global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable resource management (Chabbi et al., 2017). These partnerships foster innovation in ecosystem services, leading to improvements in environmental sustainability, land use policy, and science-based regulatory frameworks. Similarly, Brand (2003) highlights the social impact of American RIs in assistive technologies, where federally funded laboratories engage in technology transfer partnerships with private firms —particularly through CRADAs—to develop devices that improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.

ACTRIS is the pan-European research infrastructure dedicated to producing high-quality data and information on short-lived atmospheric constituents and the processes that lead to the variability of these constituents in both natural and controlled atmospheres. Its mission is to enhance understanding of the complex interactions between aerosols, clouds, and reactive trace gases in the atmosphere, as well as their impacts on climate, air quality, human health, and ecosystems (Laj et al., 2024).

ACTRIS operates as a distributed RI comprised of Central and National Facilities. Central Facilities, including the Head Office, the Data Center, and six Topical Centers, provide data, services, and operational support in accordance with ACTRIS policies. These Topical Centers focus on aerosol, clouds, and reactive trace gases, with specific expertise in remote sensing and in situ measurement techniques. Each Central Facility has several operational units, which are typically located at national research-performing organizations (RPOs ^[5]) with respective expertise in different countries. National Facilities comprise Observational Platforms, which deliver long-term, high-quality data from fixed ground-based stations (Figure 3), and Exploratory Platforms, which include simulation chambers, laboratory platforms, and mobile platforms designed for specialized experiments. All platforms adhere to common ACTRIS standards, ensuring data quality and interoperability (Wandinger et al., 2020). The Data Center provides open virtual access to ACTRIS data. In contrast, physical, remote, and hybrid access to facilities, calibration services, and training are managed through the centralized Service Access Management Unit (SAMU) of the ACTRIS ERIC Head Office.

In April 2023, ACTRIS was established as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), with 17 countries as founding members and two interested Countries. Each ACTRIS ERIC country contributes to ACTRIS by hosting National Facilities or participating in Central Facilities, thereby supporting the mission of the infrastructure to enhance understanding of atmospheric processes and their impacts on climate, air quality, and human health.

ACTRIS offers access to its facilities and services through a structured process governed by specific access and data policies. Access is provided to various user categories, including those from the private sector. The SAMU manages the access procedure, serving as the central point of contact for all access requests (Petracca Altieri et al., 2023; Kontkanen et al., 2023). Users submit applications via a dedicated platform, detailing their project objectives and resource needs. The application then undergoes a feasibility assessment by facility providers to ensure that resources are available. An expedited review follows under the market-driven access mode, focusing on innovation, technical feasibility, and project relevance. Peer review may be bypassed if there is fee-based access. Users share a detailed access plan with the provider during the selection process, and scheduling is coordinated to fit their timelines. Throughout the access period, a dedicated support team ensures seamless collaboration and communication.

For Transnational Access (TNA), a specific European Commission funding scheme, private users can apply under specific conditions. TNA has its own regulatory framework, which involves a competitive selection process, including peer review, with access provided free of charge to successful applicants. Users working for SMEs are exempt from disseminating their results and adhering to FAIR data principles, with limited provisions for confidentiality regarding proprietary data. Private users collaborate with scientists to organize and conduct experiments during the experimental phase. ACTRIS experts assist with instrument calibration, environmental settings, and data collection, ensuring scientific integrity. This collaboration often extends to data analysis, where scientists help interpret complex datasets, enhancing research outcomes.

Data collection relies on secondary sources, specifically the extensive documentation from EU projects along the ACTRIS lifecycle ^[6] (Figure 4) and data collected by SAMU. This approach aligns with the study's objectives to explore the evolution of collaboration patterns, identify barriers and enablers, and analyze KTT and their impacts.

During the Design Phase (prior to 2015), the ACTRIS project, developed under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme, played a crucial role in integrating European ground-based stations and establishing a user-centric research infrastructure for aerosols, clouds, and trace gases. The subsequent Preparation Phase (2016–2019) centered on finalizing ACTRIS's governance, legal, financial, and administrative frameworks. The “ACTRIS Preparatory Phase Project (PPP)” (2017–2019) facilitated the transition from a project-based network to a centrally coordinated, pan-European research infrastructure. In the Implementation Phase (2020–2026), supported by the Horizon 2020 ACTRIS-IMP project, the focus shifted to significant investments in the construction of Central Facilities, the upgrade of National Facilities, and the establishment of ACTRIS as an advanced research infrastructure with coordinated governance, operation, and strategy. ACTRIS functionality will continue to ramp up until full operation from 2026 onwards.

Throughout all phases of the ACTRIS lifecycle (Design, Preparatory, and Implementation), data collection focuses on two forms of industry interaction: technological procurement, where companies contribute as suppliers of specialized instruments and components, and (2) industry engagement as end-users, where companies access ACTRIS facilities, services, and data for experimentation and technological development.

The secondary data collection process involves gathering comprehensive records of all submitted and approved projects as well as detailed information about users who have accessed the infrastructure over the past decade. This includes documentation on the specific facilities access, the nature and scope of the experiments conducted, and the frequency and duration of user visits. The study systematically analyzes reports, deliverables, milestones, and data from physical and remote access projects managed by the SAMU. Additional documents, such as the ACTRIS Business Plan (Saponaro, 2023), flagship action reports (Sauvage et al., 2023), and innovation portfolios (Gargano et al., 2023), provide further insights into ACTRIS-industry collaboration.

This section examines the collaboration models between ACTRIS and industry, highlighting how these partnerships foster and drive innovation. The analysis is guided by the adapted OIS framework, which provides a systematic lens for assessing collaboration dynamics, knowledge and technology transfer mechanisms, and innovation outcomes.

Diverse typologies of collaboration identified in the literature review can describe the existing linkages between ACTRIS and its industrial partners, each of which is oriented toward addressing specific technological and societal needs. These include technological procurement, instrument-service collaboration, peer collaboration, and full-service partnerships for short-term, application-specific projects (Table 3).

ACTRIS has primarily relied on public technological procurement to acquire state-of-the-art instruments and components from specialized suppliers. Such relationships, initially established as standard supplier contracts, often evolved into co-development of advanced technologies for observational platforms (Wandinger et al., 2018). The collaboration with Raymetrics exemplifies this model. Raymetrics supplied advanced lidar systems for aerosol remote sensing that were specifically tailored to meet ACTRIS's stringent quality and observational requirements. Over time, the relationship moved beyond a standard supplier contract and developed into a co-creation process in which both parties worked together to address technological challenges.

In the implementation phase, collaboration expanded to include more interactive models, such as full-service, instrument-service, and peer collaborations.

Full-service collaborations rely on ACTRIS's technical expertise and specialized facilities to meet short-term, application-specific needs. These collaborations often involve new or less experienced industrial users who require substantial technical support. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, ACTRIS Topical Centre on aerosol in situ (CAIS-ECAC) provided critical testing services for respirators and face masks, assessing material quality and filter efficiency. This rapid adaptation of resources highlights ACTRIS's ability to meet urgent societal demands, showcasing its flexibility and critical role in addressing public health crises. Another interesting case is the company Green City Solutions, which participated in testing “CityTrees” (a moss wall technology) within CAIS-ECAC. These moss installations thrive on polluted air, filtering out CO₂, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, which they convert into biomass. In this case, ACTRIS provided quality testing services and calibration support, demonstrating how full-service collaborations allow companies to leverage the infrastructure's technical expertise to validate merging technologies.

Instrument-service collaborations occur when experienced industry users primarily engage to access ACTRIS's sophisticated equipment, requiring minimal scientific guidance or technical input. In this model, companies like TSI and Palas GmbH interact with ACTRIS to calibrate and validate their instruments. These collaborations allow industrial users to validate their technologies in highly controlled environments, improving product performance and ensuring alignment with regulatory and industry standards. The rigorous quality assurance processes conducted at ACTRIS facilities support companies in reducing uncertainty in their measurements and enhancing the market readiness of their instruments.

Finally, the peer collaboration model embodies a co-creation approach, in which ACTRIS and industrial partners jointly develop innovative technologies and methodologies through shared decision-making and the mutual exchange of scientific and technical expertise. A notable example is the development of the eVe lidar system for the European Space Agency's Aeolus mission, in collaboration with Raymetrics S.A. ACTRIS leveraged its extensive scientific knowledge and operational experience in atmospheric research in this collaboration, while Raymetrics S.A., a leader in lidar technology, leveraged its technical expertise in the design, development, and manufacturing of the lidar system. This peer collaboration highlights how co-creation models can generate technological innovation that meets both scientific and commercial objectives.

Technological procurement and peer collaboration show the increasing importance of co-creation approaches addressing complex scientific and technological challenges. These models move beyond traditional transactional relationships, where the industry merely supplies instruments or services. Instead, they promote a deeper, iterative partnership in which industrial partners actively contribute to the innovation processes. The challenges associated with these collaborative models, along with the enablers that support them, are discussed in the following sections.

A significant barrier to ACTRIS-industry collaboration concerns the management of intellectual property (IP) and related contention issues (Papageorgiou et al., 2021; Gagliardi et al., 2021). Peer collaborations can generate difficulties in negotiating the ownership and commercialization of co-developed technology. While ACTRIS operates under open science principles, prioritizing scientific advancement and data accessibility, industrial partners typically seek proprietary rights and market-oriented innovation. This divergence in objectives can lead to misaligned expectations. When clear governance frameworks and predefined IP agreements are lacking, co-innovation processes may slow down, and industry participation can be discouraged.

Sector-specific regulatory frameworks represent an additional barrier, particularly for industries involved in air quality monitoring, atmospheric sensing, and climate technology. Public procurement regulations can further complicate industry participation, particularly for SMEs and early-stage innovators that may lack the administrative capacity to engage in complex tendering procedures. Moreover, differences in research and commercialization timelines often exacerbate coordination challenges between ACTRIS and industry.

ACTRIS's open access policy enables companies to leverage ACTRIS facilities and data for product co-development, testing, and validation (Saponaro, 2023; Dubost et al., 2023). A central component of this policy is the European TNA, which financially supports external users, covering infrastructure use as well as travel and accommodation, to conduct experiments, collect data, or access specialized services. However, despite these advantages, TNA also introduces barriers. Funding schemes may not be easily accessible to SMEs, and the transnationality requirement, which obliges applicants to access a facility located in a different country, tends to exclude local SMEs that rely on proximity due to logistical, linguistic, or cost-related constraints.

Despite these barriers, ACTRIS's commitment to open science and adherence to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles allows companies to access high-quality atmospheric data, supporting technology validation, calibration, and technology development. Research Performing Organizations (RPOs) complement this by acting as intermediaries between ACTRIS and local industries. Their geographical proximity helps reduce access barriers for SMEs and facilitates knowledge transfer and collaborative R&D, strengthening regional innovation ecosystems.

ACTRIS's collaboration with other ESFRI environmental RIs, and especially atmospheric RIs such as the In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System (IAGOS) and the Atmosphere Thematic Center of ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation System), represents another important enabler for industry collaboration. These collaborations promote interdisciplinary research and technological synergies, creating a more attractive environment for companies interested in developing or testing advanced monitoring technologies (Petzold et al., 2024). Several ongoing European research projects, such as RI-URBANS ^[7] and ICOS Cities ^[8] are advancing air quality and greenhouse gas monitoring systems to support climate action and public health at the urban scale. Similarly, the ATMO-ACCESS project ^[9] fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration and aims to ensure seamless and optimized access to distributed RIs in the atmospheric domain by testing and evaluating innovative access modalities, including advanced and digital services. Finally, several national initiatives can act as enablers for interdisciplinary research to meet industry needs, such as Data Terra in France or ITINERIS ^[10] in Italy that establish hub for interdisciplinary environmental study, covering diverse areas. Collectively, these initiatives promote cross-disciplinary and cross-sector interaction by linking RIs, industry, and policymakers, thereby supporting the co-creation of solutions to complex environmental and societal challenges.

ACTRIS supports non-commercial KTT mechanisms aimed at disseminating research outputs and strengthening collaboration with academic institutions, industry, and public stakeholders. Central to these efforts is the Data Center, which provides open access to high-quality atmospheric data at multiple processing stages, from raw observations to fully quality-controlled datasets. Users can access to well documented and traceable ACTRIS measurement data and data products, including digital tools for data quality control, analysis, visualization, and research. This open-access model supports real-time analyses, long-term environmental research, and instrument validation, enabling both scientific and industrial users to leverage ACTRIS data for diverse applications.

In addition to data accessibility, ACTRIS actively engages in scientific collaboration with the private sector, which is reflected in a growing number of publications co-authored with industrial partners (PPCs). These collaborations have yielded significant outcomes, showing the synergy between academia and industry in advancing atmospheric research and technology development.

The standardized methodologies developed by ACTRIS are another important KTT mechanism. These methodologies ensure that data and measurements are consistent, reproducible, and globally comparable, which is crucial for scientific research and regulatory applications. Moreover, ACTRIS promotes knowledge exchange and capacity building through workshops, seminars, and training sessions. The annual “Innovation in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques” workshop, for example, brings together researchers and industry professionals to explore emerging technologies in atmospheric observations. At the same time, various training events provide hands-on experience with ACTRIS facilities and instrumentation.

To further enhance engagement with the private sector, ACTRIS has developed an innovation offer portfolio, through its website. This strategic communication tool outlines available services, technologies, and collaborative opportunities, positioning ACTRIS as a facilitator of technology transfer and a catalyst for industry-oriented innovation.

Industry collaboration can generate innovation outcomes in three core areas: technological advancement, methodological improvement, and standardization (Papageorgiou et al., 2021; Gagliardi et al., 2023).

In terms of technological advancement, partnerships with industry have led to the co-development of state-of-the-art atmospheric instruments. Examples include high-performance lidar systems tailored for aerosol and cloud measurements. These systems significantly improve atmospheric monitoring capabilities, offering enhanced precision and usability. Additionally, joint efforts with Vaisala and Aerodyne Research have produced innovative air quality monitoring and calibration tools, expanding the technological frontier in environmental measurement instruments.

ACTRIS also contributes to the improvement of atmospheric measurement techniques, ensuring that the data generated meet the highest scientific and regulatory standards. By providing advanced calibration facilities, ACTRIS supports industrial partners in aligning their technologies with international standards, such as those set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). This support has been crucial for companies seeking global market entry, as it guarantees the reliability and comparability of their instruments across different regions and applications. Companies specializing in air quality sensors, such as TSI and Palas GmbH, have rigorously utilized ACTRIS facilities to test and calibrate their devices. This collaboration has yielded more accurate and reliable monitoring tools, enabling their deployment in a broader range of contexts, from urban environments to remote locations.

A further outcome concerns ACTRIS's leading role in shaping technical recommendations for future standardization, through active participation in several CEN and ISO initiatives, collaboration with the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), and the development of internal measurement and calibration procedures for various instruments and techniques relevant to atmospheric measurement. By ensuring that emerging technologies comply with stringent international regulatory and quality standards, ACTRIS facilitates their international diffusion and supports interoperability across global monitoring networks.

This collaborative and dynamic environment continuously drives ACTRIS to integrate state-of-the-art technologies, maintaining its attractiveness to industrial partners. The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) exemplify the commitment to adopting state-of-the-art technologies to advance atmospheric research. UAS offer unique advantages, including access to hazardous or remote areas affected by fires, volcanic eruptions, or over oceans, and high-resolution sampling at low altitudes with minimal environmental disturbance. ACTRIS is actively expanding the community of UAS end-users, promoting capacity building through specialized training, advancing sensor integration for high-quality measurements, strengthening collaborations with industry, and establishing new standards for operational excellence in environmental monitoring.

The study identifies several collaboration models—ranging from technological procurement to full-service, instrument-service, and peer collaboration—each associated with different levels of user expertise, resource needs, and innovation potential. These findings are consistent with D'Ippolito and Rüling (2019), who show that RIs sustain multiple collaboration models over time to meet evolving users' needs and advance scientific knowledge.

The ACTRIS case study shows that these collaboration models coexist and evolve over time, responding to both technological needs and broader societal challenges. Technological procurement, in particular, often develops into long-term partnerships where iterative co-design and testing drive significant technological advancement. Alongside procurement, ACTRIS engages in full-service collaborations that support new industrial users with limited experience, lowering entry barriers and expanding the user community. In the peer collaborations, scientists and expert users co-create new technologies and pursue long-term research goals. These collaborations yield significant benefits, including accelerated technological progress and advanced instrument development. Likewise, ACTRIS's ability to mobilize scientific and technical resources during the COVID-19 pandemic shows how a public, mission-oriented approach translates into operational agility in responding to urgent societal needs. In this sense, the coexistence and evolution of collaboration models reflect a defining feature of mission-oriented partnerships in RIs: their ability to align innovation processes with long-term societal objectives while supporting industrial competitiveness and policy-relevant research.

The study also highlights that KTT in RIs are largely driven by open science principles. In ACTRIS, key mechanisms include open access to high-quality atmospheric data, standardized measurement protocols, joint publications with industry (public-private co-publications), training activities, workshops, research mobility and staff exchange. These mechanisms promote knowledge circulation and strengthen industrial capacity, while ensuring scientific quality and interoperability across countries. KTT in ACTRIS thus follows a “public value” model, where impacts go beyond commercial gains and contribute to environmental monitoring, regulatory standards, and policy support.

In addition, the analysis highlights several enablers that help mitigate common barriers to RI–industry collaboration. Key enablers include access to high-quality instrumentation and standardized methodologies; open and FAIR data; clear access procedures and dedicated support structures; trust-building through repeated interaction; and the mediating role of RPOs at the national level. These elements reduce uncertainty and facilitate mutual learning and reciprocal exchanges between scientific and industrial actors, reflecting the principles of Open Innovation in Science, where knowledge flows across institutional boundaries to support co-development and shared problem-solving.

Finally, technology co-development emerges as a particularly critical dimension of RI–industry collaboration; it introduces challenges related to IP rights, regulatory constraints, and the need to balance open-science principles with the commercial interests of industrial partners. To mitigate IP-related tensions, RIs need flexible governance structures that can adapt to the stage and purpose of each collaboration throughout the research lifecycle (Norn et al., 2024). Early-stage, research-oriented collaborations may rely on pre-competitive knowledge exchange whereas later-stage, solution-driven collaborations may require more formal IP management frameworks, licensing strategies, and clearly defined commercialization pathways (Tolin and Piccaluga, 2024). The principle “as open as possible, as closed as necessary” (European Commission, 2022) provides guidance for managing these decisions. In practice, this may involve using non-exclusive licenses, conditional open licenses or staged IP agreements that evolve with project maturity and clear contractual arrangements regarding the ownership and usage rights. Joint oversight committees and mediation mechanisms can help maintain trust and support stable, long-term cooperation.

This study examined RI–industry collaboration through a two-stage research design, combining a scoping literature review and an in-depth case study of ACTRIS, guided by the adapted OIS framework. The literature review highlights that RI–industry collaboration is heterogeneous, evolving, and shaped by multiple institutional, organizational, and technological factors (D'Ippolito and Rüling, 2019; Dietrichson, 2025). The case study provides empirical support, showing how diverse collaboration models can effectively support innovation in industry, mainly by accessing RI resources and addressing complex societal challenges in the environmental domain. The findings offer managerial and policy implications.

From a managerial perspective, the study shows that flexible governance frameworks and proactive engagement strategies are essential for sustaining RI-industry collaboration. These frameworks adapt to the needs of users from exploratory to commercialization phases along the research and innovation process. The coexistence of multiple collaboration models enables RIs to manage diverse industry needs, ranging from new to experienced users. This diversity ensures that RIs can sustain a dynamic and evolving user base, supporting both scientific progress and innovation outcomes.

RPOs play a complementary role by facilitating industry access to RIs, particularly for SMEs that often lack resources and technical capabilities. Acting as intermediaries, RPOs help bridge the gap between scientific research and industrial application, thereby strengthening regional innovation ecosystems. Demand-driven activities—such as specialized training, co-designed workshops, and collaborative proposal development—can lower access barriers and enhance the effectiveness of knowledge and technology transfer. However, the effectiveness of such intermediation depends on the alignment between institutional missions, available resources, and the capacity of RPOs to sustain long-term engagement.

To enhance coordination and scale innovation activities, the ACTRIS governance should strengthen its supporting and facilitating roles through implementing an innovation strategy and maintaining an action plan for periodic updates on innovation opportunities. It should also provide a legal framework for industry collaboration, fostering strategic partnerships and organizing targeted events to strengthen RI-industry engagement, particularly among SMEs.

Finally, developing an innovation offer portfolio is essential for systematically engaging with industry. This portfolio should communicate the collaboration opportunities available within the RI, making it easier for industrial partners to identify areas of mutual value creation. By offering a structured overview of its innovation potential, ACTRIS can position itself as a strategic partner for industry, enhancing its visibility and impact in the broader innovation ecosystem.

The findings highlight the need for policies that strike a balance between open science and proprietary interests. Policymakers should harmonize IP regulations and promote flexible frameworks that facilitate knowledge exchange. In this context, Open Science Partnerships (OSPs) can represent a useful governance model of RI-industry collaboration, as they support openness while reducing IP barriers that often hinder collaboration (Norn et al., 2024). OSPs can build trust, lower negotiation costs, and support the exchange of tacit knowledge between researchers and firms. Additionally, targeted financial incentives, such as grants and tax benefits, can lower barriers for SMEs to access and collaborate with RIs.

The research also highlights the importance of informal, place-based collaboration supported by RPOs. These localized partnerships capitalize on shared infrastructure, regional expertise, and trust-building through frequent interactions. Policymakers should support these efforts by aligning funding mechanisms, simplifying access frameworks, and encouraging cross-sector knowledge exchange at the regional level to ensure that RIs can contribute to global scientific progress and local economic development and industrial competitiveness.

Finally, assessing the outcomes of open innovation in RIs requires a multidimensional perspective that moves beyond conventional economic indicators to capture the full spectrum of scientific, technological, and societal benefits they generate. Developing hybrid evaluation models that integrate both quantitative and qualitative indicators is therefore essential for providing a more comprehensive and accurate assessment of the contributions of RIs to industry and society (Zakaria et al., 2021).

The study has inherent methodological limitations. First, the scoping literature review excluded grey literature, which can represent useful sources for understanding the operational realities of RI–industry collaborations. Additionally, the review did not address self-citations, which may influence the perceived impact and network dynamics within the literature. Second, the reliance on a single case study constrains the generalizability of the findings. ACTRIS, as a distributed RI in atmospheric science, provides a unique context that may not fully capture the diversity of RI-industry interactions across other domains. Additionally, this research relies on secondary data sources, including project reports, policy documents, and deliverables. While these sources provide a rich basis for analysis, they may lack the granularity and depth obtained from primary data collection, such as interviews or surveys with key stakeholders.

Based on these limitations, future research should address the dynamic nature of RI-industry collaborations and how they evolve from early-stage exploration to applied development along the research and innovation process. A promising area of investigation is the Open Science Partnerships (OSPs), which are a form of public–private partnership that promotes open access to publications, data, tools, and materials (Norn et al., 2024). OSPs emphasize the non-exclusive sharing of data, tools, and findings, often avoiding restrictive intellectual property (IP) arrangements to foster broader knowledge dissemination and innovation. Applying the OSP framework within RIs would offer a more systematic understanding of how openness and collaboration can be effectively balanced with industrial interests. It also enables the identification of governance models and engagement strategies that foster inclusive, mission-oriented, and sustainable innovation.

Longitudinal studies, incorporating quantitative and qualitative indicators, can provide a deeper understanding of how these collaborations develop and adapt to changing technological and market conditions, ultimately contributing to scientific and societal impacts. Evaluating these impacts would provide robust evidence to guide future policy decisions and investment strategies.

The role of mindfulness in moderating or enhancing the effect of team diversity, interdisciplinary engagement, and knowledge integration within RI (Zhang et al., 2025) represents another promising area for future research. Recent studies suggest that mindfulness enhances creative process engagement by strengthening relational systems in the workplace, facilitating trust, communication, and collaboration (Zhou et al., 2024). Applying this lens to RI–industry collaboration could provide valuable insights into how relational quality, psychological, and ethical framing influence collaborative performance and innovation outcomes.

Finally, further research should examine how digital technologies and data-sharing platforms enhance open science and KTT, in line with the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) initiative. EOSC aims to create a virtual environment that provides open, seamless services for sharing and reusing research data across borders. EOSC will provide European researchers and innovators with an open and trusted multi-disciplinary environment where they can publish, find, and reuse data, tools and services for research and innovation. ACTRIS and environmental sciences RIs are working on future integration into EOSC with several initiatives funded at EU (for instance with ENVRI-Hub NEXT ^[11]) and national levels (for example, ITINERIS in Italy). By leveraging such digital platforms, RIs can enable broader access from industrial partners (including those geographically distant from physical facilities) and lower the barriers to collaboration.

The authors would like to acknowledge the ACTRIS (Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure) for its essential role in providing access to high-quality data, facilities, and technical support. The authors are also grateful to Eija Juurola, the Director General of ACTRIS ERIC, for providing valuable feedback and insights that contributed to improving the quality of the manuscript and to Giulia Saponaro, the ACTRIS ERIC communication manager, for revising and editing the figures of this study.