The newly published study Assessment of the socio-economic benefits of CERN activities reports on CERN’s activities over the past 25 years and highlights a range of socio-economic benefits generated by the Laboratory’s role as a global hub for science, technology and collaboration.
The study examines how CERN contributes to scientific, technological, economic and societal outcomes that extend beyond the Laboratory and the field of particle physics. It identifies the main pathways through which these benefits arise, including research and knowledge flows, procurement, innovation and technology transfer, skills development and science diplomacy.

“CERN’s mission is to push the boundaries of fundamental science. In doing so, we also constantly push the limits of technology beyond the current state-of-the-art. By bringing together researchers, engineers, professionals, academic institutions and companies from around the world, CERN creates an environment in which knowledge, expertise and technology can cross borders and disciplines. This study illustrates how these interactions contribute to science, innovation and society,” said Mark Thomson, CERN Director-General.

The report further shows that the benefits associated with CERN’s activities emerge from the interconnections between pathways over time through complex, collaborative processes. While some impacts can be traced directly to CERN, others develop through wider networks involving scientists, engineers, professionals in various fields, companies, public institutions and former members of the CERN community.

From 1989 to 2024, research carried out at CERN generated more than 160 000 scientific and technical publications. In addition to their scientific relevance, the study finds that these publications contributed to wider fields with direct social and technological relevance, including through references in more than 1300 patent applications, as well as in policy literature and general information systems such as Wikipedia.

The study also examines the economic effects associated with the procurement of goods and services. Firms that secured their first CERN order between 2016 and 2024 experienced, on average, a 15% increase in patent stock and a 63% growth in intangible assets within five years after their first order, compared with similar firms that had no CERN engagement. Firms also saw, on average, a 14% rise in turnover, a 13% increase in employment and a 27% expansion in tangible assets.

CERN’s knowledge transfer activities provide another important pathway for impact. Through partnerships with academia, industry and public institutions, CERN scientists and engineers support research and innovation beyond particle physics in areas including healthcare, aerospace engineering, environmental applications, quantum networks and financial markets.

The study also highlights CERN startups and spin-offs, identifying 111 investment deals completed by 27 companies from 2008 to 2025, with individual deal values ranging from 10 000 CHF to 2.4 billion CHF. In 2025 alone, startups in the CERN Venture Connect programme raised 5.6 million CHF in funding.

People are central to CERN’s contribution to society. The study underlines the role of training, collaboration and professional mobility in spreading skills and expertise across sectors. In the 2025 CERN alumni survey, 95% of 982 respondents said that their experiences and interactions with CERN had helped advance their careers. CERN alumni are active in a wide range of sectors, including computer software, information technology and services, mechanical and industrial engineering and financial services.

Taken together, the findings show that CERN’s socio-economic contributions are broad, long-term and closely linked to its scientific mission. By enabling frontier research in particle physics, CERN also creates conditions for skills development, industrial capability, innovation and international cooperation.