The RUBIN alliances with the most promising concepts start the implementation phase. For three years, innovative companies and their research partners will lay the groundwork for new products – from e‑ships to new bioplastics.
They spent more than six months fine-tuning their entrepreneurial and market-oriented concepts, developing research and development projects and strategic measures. And they have created structures and processes for partner collaboration and innovation management. Now it is clear: Eleven RUBIN alliances from the first funding round can start the implementation phase. For each of the alliances, the ministry generally provides between five and 12 million euros for this purpose.
11 from 17 from 53
With the support of a panel of experts, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research selected nine alliances with particularly promising RUBIN concepts for further funding at the beginning of June; two RUBIN concepts had already been approved last November. The eleven are among a total of 17 alliances that prevailed last year from among 53 applicants and which the ministry had supported as part of a concept phase.
Over the next three years, innovative companies will now work together with universities and research institutions from their region to create the basis for attractive products and services. At the same time, the alliances are fine-tuning their exploitation and market strategy and reaching out to potential customers.
Mobility, construction and food technology
The focus is on application fields and markets with high innovation and growth potential. These include, for example, new bioplastics made from cellulosic residues, absorbable medical products or electrified liners for local public transport. Other promising projects come from the innovation fields of food technology, healthcare, construction, photonics, optics and materials development.
RUBIN stands for »Regional Entrepreneurial Alliances for Innovation« and is intended to strengthen the innovation and competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular. At the same time, the funding program supports universities and research institutions in becoming even more involved in the exploitation of their research results and the resulting innovations. With RUBIN, the ministry wants to offer structurally weak regions new perspectives for structural change.