​Background and rationale

​Access2Access (A2A) is an EU-funded project focused on improving access to European Research Infrastructures (RIs), strengthening coordination between infrastructures and making their capabilities more accessible to different user communities. As part of its activities on industry engagement, the project seeks to identify practical ways to facilitate industry access to RI expertise, technologies and services, particularly through European Commission-supported access opportunities.

​Improving industry access to European Research Infrastructures (RIs) has been the subject of extensive consultations, policy developments and practical initiatives. Previous work, notably the Enhancing SME Access to European Research and Technology Infrastructures report, has identified key challenges and recommendations. The European Commission’s Charter of Access for Industrial Users provides a further framework, while EU-funded access initiatives and RI-level activities offer operational experience.

​The Access2Access Industry Deep Dive Sandpit will build on this existing knowledge and ongoing initiatives rather than revisit questions already extensively explored. It will examine how recommendations and approaches are implemented, what has proven effective, where gaps remain, and which improvements or additional mechanisms could make EC-supported access more effective, relevant and sustainable.

​The Sandpit brings together companies of different sizes, sectors and levels of RI experience: established users, companies that explored access without proceeding, and companies that have never used RIs or do not currently see them as relevant. RI representatives and intermediaries will contribute operational perspectives. The aim is to test genuine industrial value, not assume that RI access is appropriate for every company.