The InnovationCampus Future Mobility, a joint initiative of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Stuttgart, is strengthening direct dialogue with industry with its first ‘Innovation Challenge Mobility and Production’. The fast and uncomplicated funding format for explorative innovation projects has brought industry and science together within two months to jointly solve seven research questions in the fields of mobility and production.
ICM InnovationChallenge - the funded consortia have been announced!
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ICM strengthens dialogue with industry. Seven consortia receive a total of around 900,000 euros in funding | ICM Innovation Challenge 2021
The InnovationChallenge Mobility and Production is organised and supported by the InnovationCampus Future Mobility (ICM). It offers space for co-operative technology transfer. The InnovationChallenge is part of this partnership platform and is looking for research ideas that can advance sustainable, explorative and pre-competitive technologies and methods in the fields of mobility and production together with companies.
The challenges came from innovation-orientated companies, the solutions from the participating universities and the funding in a fast and compact funding format from the InnovationsCampus. The innovative funding format is specially tailored to small companies: seven consortia of companies and research institutions can look forward to state funding totalling more than 900,000 euros.
‘I am delighted that we are able to support seven start-ups and SMEs from Baden-Württemberg in pursuing and realising their innovative ideas as part of the ‘InnovationChallenge Mobility and Production’. The potential is impressive and is particularly evident in the spectrum of topics, which ranges from modern mobility concepts to recycling-friendly production methods. With this funding format, the state is also strengthening cooperation between research and industry in the areas of sustainable mobility and resource-saving recycling management, embedded in the InnovationCampus Future Mobility,’ said Science Minister Theresia Bauer.
Rapid allocation of funding
The close cooperation with universities aims to strengthen the competitiveness and innovative capacity of SMEs and speed up the implementation of innovative ideas. At the centre of the challenge was a hackathon in which the scientific employees of the registered universities presented their approaches to the approved company representatives on how they would tackle the research questions together with the company. The best concept for each challenge was selected by the companies and a consortium was formed for further collaboration. The companies were then able to participate in the bidding process with an initial bid. The deadline for submitting the companies' final binding bid was 9 December 2021, and seven consortia can now look forward to receiving state funding for their innovation project.
The seven funded consortia 2021 at a glance
- SOL Motors GmbH from Stuttgart and the Institute for Transport and Engine Technology at the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) in Mannheim with the ‘Pocket Rocket H2’ project
- The start-up company MoThor Batteries from Karlsruhe and the IPEK - Institute of Product Engineering at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) with the project ‘Detachable cell contacting to increase the ease of disassembly and recycling of battery packs’
- PP-Tech Components GmbH from Malsch and the wbk Institute of Production Science at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) with the project ‘AddSono: Additive manufacturing of sonotrodes for ultrasound technology and functional integration of cooling channels’
- Premium Robotics GmbH from Leinfelden-Echterdingen and the Faculty of Machines and Systems at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences with the project ‘Localisation of partially transparent containers on pallets for robot-based depalletising’
- Rosswag GmbH from Pfinztal and the wbk Institute of Production Science at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) with the project ‘KADDISH - Cooling channels in ADDitively manufactured turning tools’
- The start-up LightPulse from Stuttgart and the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units (ISW) and the Institute of Laser Technologies (IFSW) at the University of Stuttgart with the project ‘SELF - SElf Learning Functional Laser Micromachining
- Precitec GmbH & Co. KG from Gaggenau and the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units (ISW) and the Institute of Laser Technologies (IFSW) at the University of Stuttgart with the ‘Easy Metal Printer’ project
The contact persons for the InnovationChallenge Mobility and Production are:
- Dr Sandra Kauffmann-Weiß, Managing Director of the InnovationCampus Future Mobility, Tel.: +49 1523 9502655
- Dr Max Hoßfeld, Managing Director of the InnovationCampus Future Mobility, Tel.: +49 711 685 60947
- Dipl.-Ing. Jennifer Staudenmeyer, Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Württemberg, Phone: +49 711 279-3431