Each LTC is created with the support of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and the University of Bordeaux (UB), which launch a call every year to select a laboratory, through Euskampus Fundazioa. LTCs benefit from financial support and hire one PhD researcher and one post-doctoral research for four years. This initial boost helps to strengthen collaboration ties within the framework of each LTC in the Basque Country-New Aquitaine Euroregion area. The great achievement resulting from this initial funding has been the development of a network of scientific collaboration between the groups in both regions, which are, in many cases, at a key point in making the decisive leap towards opening up beyond the Euroregion context and the deployment of larger projects internationally, as well as contributing to the regional development of the Basque Country and New Aquitaine. This where LTC Sarea programme comes in, promoting laboratories so they consolidate their international positioning, produce excellent results and develop stronger ties with the region.

In addition, groups that have already had some cross-border collaborative experience but need a further boost to reach the previous history of collaboration required to be able to apply for future LTC calls are given an opportunity by LTC Sarea through the so-called LTC Incubators.