Innovation Spaces

Four Innovation Spaces to transform our economy

With the funding concept “bioeconomy innovation spaces“, the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt, BMFTR) supports the development of bioeconomic innovations as drivers for a sustainable, biobased economy.

The aim is to use research results more comprehensively than ever before and to initiate processes that become building blocks of change in society as a whole to the benfit of the bioeconomy. The scientific prerequisites for this are excellent in Germany. There is great potential for new ideas. By uniting several projects within the innovation spaces the BMFTR is creating platforms for science, industry and society to collaborate under a shared vision and use these ideas for cross-sector innovations.

New food systems

The basic idea of the innovation space is to bring together partners from food research and industry to jointly initiate bioeconomic innovations and to use research results more comprehensively than before.

In the innovation space NewFoodSystems, we are dedicated to find new approaches for the food of tomorrow. The innovation space provides the framework for researching and developing market ready novel production and cultivation methods for sustainable food production. The focus is on Controlled Environment Cultivation (plants, algae, insects, fish or other organisms) and the production and application of sustainable food ingredients.

A holistic assessment accompanies the development of new products and processes. It takes into account quality and safety, consumer acceptance, economic viability, marketability, ecological sustainability as well as the respective legal framework. Thus, this approach contributes to a successful transfer to the market.

The innovation space is coordinated by the Max Rubner-Institut (MRI), supported by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV) in the area of innovation management.

Blaue Bioökonomie (BaMS)

The innovation space Bioökonomie auf Marinen Standorten (BaMS) [engl. Bioeconomy on Marine Sites] unites its members under the umbrella of the Blaue Bioökonomie [engl. Blue Bioeconomy] to establish a more sustainable use of aquatic resources and strengthen circular economy through joint research and development activities.

Projects and model sites demonstrate which strategies can be used to realise a change towards a bio-based, blue economy.

Bioeconomy in the Metropolitan Area – BioBall

The aim of the BioBall innovation space is to promote the material use of biogenic residual and waste materials – under the special conditions of the densely populated and industrialised Frankfurt/Rhine-Main metropolitan region.

The BioBall innovation space intensifies the direct exchange between private and municipal business, science and politics throughout Germany – initiates new project ideas and promotes innovative research and development projects to establish a bio-based economy.

The funded innovations close loops, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and raise economically untapped potential in the metropolitan region, as well as beyond.

BIOTEXFUTURE

The vision of the BIOTEXFUTURE innovation space is the conversion of the textile value chain from petroleum-based to bio-based.

At the start of the innovation space, the initial projects with the research focus on substrate/material development, product/process development, textile finishing and circular economy are clearly defined.

In addition, new projects – and thus new partners – can be added during the term of BIOTEXFUTURE. Part of the project portfolio is also a transfer project from the very beginning, which is intended to ensure the transfer of project results to society (e.g. through real laboratories), as well as a project management office, which ensures professional programme management.

The Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University is managing BIOTEXFUTURE together with the Institute of Sociology from a research perspective. The adidas AG manages BIOTEXFUTURE from an industry perspective.