Archimede Solar Energy is a start-up company spun out from an Italian industrial group for the purpose of commercializing knowledge developed by a major Italian Research Center (ENEA), which was financed by two international investors. From its origins in a large company, it is in practice an SME which faces the same issues as other SME counterparts. Thanks to its manufacturing/industrial expertise and its cooperation with a consortium of selected Italian suppliers, Archimede was able to prove the technical feasibility of a technology patented by ENEA while engaging in a fruitful and long-lasting collaboration. By exploiting this valuable and mutually beneficial collaboration as well as its know-how/IP portfolio (exclusive licensing agreements and proprietary patents for production processes) and its network, Archimede Solar Energy has managed to become within a few years the world leader in the production of solar receiver tubes for thermodynamic power plants with parabolic trough collectors.