European Commission officially joined the INO. Professor Iseult Lynch was selected as the representative of the European Commission Research and Innovation Directorate in the INO Steering Committee. 

As a result, three teams from European countries have registered in the first INO being held on April 10, 2018, in Tehran, Iran.  The three European teams are from universities in Italy, Germany, and UK.

The first INO is going to start on April 10, 2018. EU, Iran, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea and Taiwan will participate in this event with a focus on solving global environmental challenges through the nanotechnology. The competition aims at motivating university students to practice their knowledge and skills in solving real world challenges, hopefully enabling startup teams, and creating a global network of students and experts.