Skip to main content

How to take part

Whether you are a researcher, a public body, a startup or a company, joining OpenAIRE Innovation follows the same simple path.
Get involved

About

How to take part

On this page

Four steps

Start small, prove value, then grow the collaboration. You can start at step one at any time.
1

Get in touch

Use the partner form to tell us what you are working on, what you need, and what you could bring. A few lines are enough.
2

Explore together

We set up a conversation with the right people in our team to understand your goals and map them to OpenAIRE data, services and expertise.
3

Agree how to work

We propose the form of collaboration that fits best, from open use to a pilot or a joint service, and agree terms on licensing, attribution and data protection.
4

Start and grow

Begin with a focused piece of work. When it delivers value, extend it: more services, a co-developed product, or contributions back to the commons.

With or without project funding

We collaborate inside funded projects and outside them. The mechanism is flexible.

Within funded projects

OpenAIRE regularly takes part in EU-funded projects (Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, national programmes) and welcomes partners who want to include innovation activities in their proposals. We bring infrastructure, data, community reach and policy expertise.

Independent of project funding

We are equally open to direct partnerships, MoU-based collaborations, pilot agreements and formal explorations. If there is mutual community value, we will find a way to work together.

Ways to work together

Most partners start with one of these and move to another as the collaboration grows.

Open use

What it is

Use OpenAIRE public APIs, bulk downloads and documentation, under the licences of each source.

Best for

Exploring the data, prototypes and research tools.
Start: read the documentation and start using the API.

Service agreement

What it is

An agreement for production use, with agreed support and service levels.

Best for

Products and platforms that depend on OpenAIRE data.
Start: contact us through the partner form.

Co-development

What it is

A joint team building a new indicator, tool or service, with a shared roadmap and agreed ownership.

Best for

Organisations with domain expertise and a clear product need.
Start: send a short proposal.

Innovation pilot

What it is

A focused project selected through an open call, with technical mentoring and data access.

Best for

Startups, SMEs, public bodies and research groups.
Start: apply when a call is open.

Contribution

What it is

Sharing data, metadata, tools or evidence that strengthen open science, with attribution.

Best for

Any partner with something valuable to share.
Start: tell us what you could contribute.

What to prepare

You do not need a full plan to get in touch. These points help us respond faster.

About you

  • Your organisation and sector
  • Your product, project or research question
  • Who would work with us on your side

About the collaboration

  • What you need: data, services, expertise or skills
  • What you could contribute back
  • Any timing, legal or data protection constraints

Questions

Short answers to the questions we hear most often.
Can OpenAIRE data be used in commercial products?
Much of the data in the OpenAIRE Graph is openly licensed and can be reused, including commercially, under the conditions of each source's licence. We help partners understand and respect those conditions.
Do we need to be based in Europe?
Partners from outside Europe are welcome. Some open calls have eligibility rules, which are stated in each call.
Who owns what we build together?
Ownership, licensing and maintenance are agreed before work starts, with a preference for open outputs wherever possible.
Which strand is right for me?
Innovate for Open Science is for researchers, infrastructures, civic tech, universities and public bodies improving how open science works. Innovate with Open Science is for companies and startups building products and services on open research data. If you are not sure, get in touch and we will advise.

For the full list of questions visit FAQs.

Resources

Templates, guides, policies, documentation.

Let's build something together

Tell us what you are working on, in research, public innovation or industry.
Get involved