Future LAB
Future LAB is a development program for Romanian research institutes, centers, and stations to learn European best practices, support technology transfer, and build skills for working with the business sector.
If you want your institute’s research results and your work to be relevant, aligned with society’s needs, and valued through collaboration with the economic sector, apply to FutureLab!
Who Can Apply?
FutureLab supports Romania's research ecosystem that develops applied solutions for society.
University research centers, ex. Research Institute of the University of Bucharest
Research institutes, ex. INCDS "Marin Drăcea" (Forestry)
Research stations, ex. Fundulea Agricultural Station
Other specialized centers, ex. Institutul de Studii și Proiectări Energetice ISPE
Research Domains
Physics & Engineering
Environmental Sciences
Chemistry & Materials
Technology & IT
Agriculture & Biology
Other Specialized
Apply by February 15, 2026.
Want to present the program and regulations to your colleagues?
Timeline
-
Application Conditions
Enrollment - Only institutes, research stations, or research centers from Romania are eligible to apply.
Patents/Inventions - Each participant must submit 3 patents or 3 inventions in the process of being patented, with the highest potential for societal application. Each participant will use these as case studies during the learning and working sessions.
Documentation - Participants must provide, for each of the three patents or inventions, a short summary and an explanation of their real-world impact and applicability.
All timely applications are pre-selected based on eligibility criteria by the FutureLab team.
-
An online session to get to know each other, introduce the program, discuss next steps, and answer your questions.
-
Initial Bootcamp: 26 - 28 Feb
Goal:
Session 1:
Session 2:
Session 3:
Online Session 1 - 10 Mar
Online Session 2 - 17 Mar
Online Session 3 - 24 Mar
One week of work
Outcome: Analiza situatiei curente a institutului si a brevetelor.
-
Online Session 4 - 7 Apr
Online Session 5 - 21 Apr
Online Session 6 - 28 Apr
One week of work
Outcome: Plan de dezvoltare a institutului si un plan comercial pentru un brevet selectat. Sau dezvoltarea unui plan comercial pentru un viitor brevet.
Final Bootcamp - 14 - 16 Mai
Goal:
Session 1:
Session 2:
Session 3:
-
A roundtable uniting researchers, business leaders, and policymakers to identify pro-technology transfer legislative solutions.
Program Structure
Participants: 20
Duration: 3 months
Offline: 2 bootcamps
Online: 6 sessions
4 optional (different institute representatives can join based on session topics)
2 mandatory (final bootcamp preparation)
“The sign of complete success in science is not to have your name appear alongside the discovery you made, but to cease to be cited. To realize that your discovery has become so common, so ‘of all’, that you no longer need to be cited. (Sinaia, 1994)”
What You'll Learn
European best practices for institute development and technology transfer – with international experts
Real examples and experts in: patent commercialization, company R&D, predicting tech trends
How to identify societal and business needs to set relevant research priorities
How to increase adoption of patents by industry
Business expectations from research institutes and centers
How to build long-term business partnerships between institutes and companies
Essential skills for sustainable research-industry partnerships
Initiator
"Want your work and institute to shape society?"
We support the sustainable development of research, society, and the future.
FutureLab is a program launched by Social Innovation Solutions, with PPC as founding partner.
Founding Partner
