Certech was founded in 1996 by the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium as a research facility consolidating three of its chemistry laboratories. Located in Seneffe, Belgium, Certech became an independent nonprofit organization in 1999 led by a board including civic officials, industry professionals, and academic founders, though it maintains a partnership with the Catholic University of Louvain. As a former university research center, Certech now advances sustainable chemistry with 39 scientists, evaluated by an Industrial Committee and Scientific Committee, to undertake commercially viable projects.