The MicroLean Lab is aimed at any company wishing to take part in an experimental approach that is consistent with the vision, spirit and logic of community of interest.
Read the MicroLean Lab Charter
The MicroLean Lab is managed by Haute Ecole Arc Ingénierie and the development work is mainly done by research professors with their teams of senior engineers and research assistants, complemented by student projects.
A roadmap of scientific and technical developments is defined and reviewed by an advisory board. The partners have access to all the development results of the MicroLean Lab for their own products and services.
Other academic institutions can take part in the developments run commonly with the partner companies of the MicroLean Lab, particularly to create and provide functional blocks, the “apps”, integrated into the micro-factory.
Funding
The activities of the MicroLean Lab are supported by joint public-private funding for the completion of a development roadmap over six years.
The premises are being provided by the Haute Ecole Arc, while the public funding comes from funds intended to support applied research. These are provided by the HES-SO, Innosuisse – Swiss Innovation Agency and other Swiss and European public funds.
Private funding comes from the MicroLean Lab’s industrial partners – members of the community of interest – who will enjoy in return the benefits described in detail in a partnership agreement available upon request. All members receive the same benefits regardless of the amount of their contribution.
The amounts of the private contributions range as follows:
Members of the advisory board (clients, end users)
- International groups: CHF 100k/year
- Mid-market companies/SMEs: CHF 50k/year
Ordinary members (all interested companies):
- International groups (more than 5000 employees): CHF 50k/year
- Mid-market companies (between 251 and 5000 employees): CHF 20k/year
- SMEs (between 11 and 250 employees): CHF 10k/year
- Micro-companies (less than 10 employees), start-ups, freelancers: CHF 2k/year
Contracts last for 6 years, with the option to pull out after 2 years.
Non-financial alternatives may be agreed, at least partially, for partners supplying technology, equipment or any benefits in kind or services that are deemed necessary.