Friday, January 25, Klosters-Davos, Switzerland – President Dalia Grybauskaitė, currently attending the World Economic Forum, met with Dr. Fabiola Gianotti, Director General of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). It was announced that Lithuania was going to host two CERN business incubation centers – one in Vilnius and another in Kaunas.

An agreement on the establishment of business incubators will be signed this coming February.

It is the first time that CERN – one of the world’s largest and most advanced research organizations – launches an incubation center in an associate member state. Currently, the network of CERN incubators has sites in nine countries only. Lithuania will be the tenth nation to gain unique access to CERN’s newest technologies, data bases and expertise.

According to the President, it signifies worldwide recognition of Lithuania’s scientific achievements. Lithuania will become the first associate member state to join the CERN structure for knowledge and technology transfer.

The two incubators in Vilnius and Kaunas – the only in Central and Eastern Europe – will be instrumental for the development of business and science across the region through advanced physics, health and information technologies, as well as industrial laser optics. Lithuania will receive assistance and advice from CERN experts on new scientific products.

Lithuania was the first Baltic country to become associate member of CERN last year. Membership in CERN has opened new opportunities to participate in scientific research projects, start innovative businesses and develop national industrial potential. Lithuanian teachers will be eligible for qualified training programmes in physics; research associates will be entitled to internship at CERN.