SINTEF is the largest independent research organisation in Scandinavia. We create value through knowledge generation, research and innovation, and develop technological solutions that are brought into practical use.
SINTEF is a broadly based, multidisciplinary research concern that possesses international top-level expertise in technology, medicine and the social sciences, and our aim is to become the most renowned contract research institution in Europe.
SINTEF is an independent, non-commercial organisation. The profits of our contract research projects are invested in new research, scientific equipment and competence development. In the course of the past five years, we have invested NOK 500 million of our own funds in laboratories and scientific equipment.
The SINTEF Group comprises the SINTEF Foundation, four limited companies and SINTEF Holding.
Key figures
SINTEF employs 2100 staff who come from 67 different countries.
Our turnover in 2010 was NOK 2.8 billion, more than 90% of which was won in open competition for contracts for industry and the public sector and project grants from the Research Council of Norway. Every year we perform more than 7000 research projects for some 2000 clients. Basic grants from the Research Council make up around seven percent of our turnover.
SINTEF also acts as an incubator for new industrial companies. In 2010, we were involved in the commercialisation of eight different SINTEF technologies, through licensing agreements and the establishment of new companies.
Partners in cooperation
SINTEF operates in partnership with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, and collaborates with the University of Oslo. NTNU personnel work on SINTEF projects, while many SINTEF staff teach at NTNU. Our collaboration involves the extensive joint use of laboratories and equipment, and more than 500 people are employed by both NTNU and SINTEF. We also collaborate with other leading research organisations in Norway and abroad.
International activity
SINTEF has clients in about 60 different countries. In 2010, 16 percent of our turnover was derived from international contracts.
About 40 percent of our international turnover comes from the EU’s research programmes, in which SINTEF is a leading participant. European Union projects are given high priority, because we believe that it is important to participate in multinational knowledge-generation efforts, and because such projects give us access to interesting networks.
Our ambition is to grow in the international R & D market, and for this reason, we are investing in areas in which we are particularly strong: oil and gas, energy and the environment, materials technology, maritime and biomarine technology, ICT, building research and medical technology. We maintain an international presence via our own subsidiary companies or laboratories in the USA, Brazil and Denmark.
Locations
SINTEF has approximately 2100 employees, 1500 of which are located in Trondheim and 420 in Oslo. We have offices in Bergen, Stavanger and Ålesund, in addition to offices in Houston, Texas (USA), Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) and a laboratory in Hirtshals (Denmark). SINTEF's head office is in Trondheim.
Organisation
The SINTEF Group is structured into several research divisions, which have been defined in terms of value chains and industrial market clusters.
SINTEF has established the limited company SINTEF Holding to manage SINTEF's ownership of start-up companies and regional development companies. The aim is to professionalise the operation of such companies and to split off our taxable activities from the core activities of our research institutes. SINTEF regards it as an important aspect of its role in society to contribute to the creation of more companies and jobs.
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