Catalysing Impact - Superconductivity for Global Challenges

1 Dec 2025, 09:30 → 2 Dec 2025, 16:00 Europe/Zurich

500/1-001 - Main Auditorium (CERN)

Luca Bottura (CERN), Ziad Melhem

Superconducting technologies, historically central to fundamental research, are increasingly relevant for applications in energy, healthcare, transportation, and computing. Recent advances suggest these technologies may contribute meaningfully to addressing critical societal challenges.

Organized by CERN, in collaboration with Superconductivity Global Alliance (ScGA), this two-day event will examine the role of superconductors in enabling discovery science, assess their potential in real-world applications, and consider pathways for accelerating their development. The event will bring together researchers, technologists, investors, and policymakers to align frontier science with practical needs.

Through keynotes, panels, and roundtables, participants will:

• Review major achievements and current limitations in applied superconductivity.
• Discuss how superconducting technologies may support progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Examine supply chain and workforce issues affecting scale-up.
• Engage with stakeholders from the private and public sectors to explore funding strategies.
• Identify opportunities for collaborative R&D and public–private initiatives.

By convening the superconductivity community across sectors, the event aims to build a shared understanding of challenges and foster coordinated action.

Monday 1 December

Day 1: Registration & Morning Coffee

Day 1: Setting the Scene

Convener: Ziad Melhem

1 Welcome and Introduction to CERN

Superconductivity has underpinned major scientific achievements, including CERN’s discovery of the Higgs boson. Looking ahead, CERN aims to further the development of superconducting technologies, both for future research infrastructure and for wider applications aligned with global development goals.

2 Superconductivity Global Alliance

Superconductivity Global Alliance: objectives, challenges, relevance to SDGs, strategic roadmap.

Speaker: Ziad Melhem

3 UN-SDG 17

The role of international cooperation in sustainable development (SDG 17).

Day 1: Superconductivity in Discovery Science

4 Keynote: Superconductors as enabling technologies in discovery science: past, present, and future.

5 Panel Session: Contributions of superconductors to fundamental research, ongoing developments, and future requirements.

Superconductivity remains essential for many areas of fundamental science. This session will examine its contributions, the challenges in pushing performance boundaries and future discoveries, and opportunities for cross-sector knowledge transfer.

11:30 Networking Coffee Break

Day 1: Superconducting Applications for Society

6 Keynote: Superconductivity in science and technology: recent advances and emerging applications

7 Panel Session: Superconductors in research and industry – achievements, current status, and key challenges.

Superconducting technologies move from research environments into broader industry contexts. This session will explore where progress has been made, what challenges remain, and what is realistically achievable in the near term.

12:45 Lunch Break

Day 1: Technical and Supply Chain Challenges

8 Keynote: Conductor and supply chain constraints: risks, bottlenecks, and mitigation strategies

9 Panel Session: Materials, manufacturing, and workforce development.

Despite commercial progress, scaling superconducting systems still presents technical and logistical challenges. This session addresses production capacity, material limitations, and the need for a specialised workforce.

Day 1: Investing Landscape

10 Keynote: Market dynamics and investment in superconductivity; challenges and outlook

11 Panel Session: Perspectives from corporate and institutional investor

While there are promising signals in investment trends, significant barriers remain. This session will explore what drives investment in superconductivity and where the greatest uncertainties lie.

15:45 Networking Coffee Break

Day 1: Perspectives on Funding and Collaboration

12 Keynote: EU and national programs: Roadmaps, funding priorities, and risk reduction

13 Keynote: Venture investment: What attracts long-term capital?

14 Keynote: Public-private partnerships: Aligning incentives.

15 Technological advocacy on a global scale

16 Panel Session: Perspectives on Funding and Scaling up Investment.

Different types of funding bodies play complementary roles in advancing superconducting technologies. This session will explore practical mechanisms for collaboration, de-risking, and long-term alignment.

Day 1: Day Conclusions

20:00 Social Dinner

Tuesday 2 December

Day 2: Introduction to Round Table Discussions

Day 2: Round Table Discussions – Challenges to Solve

12:30 Lunch Break

Day 2: Final Conclusions and Closing

17 Round Table Conclusions

18 Final Conclusions and Closing

Day 2: CERN Visits (optional)