Our Approach

We innovate with a system designed to move ideas further, faster, and with greater impact.

Our 2x3 Future Formula: innovation with system

To turn deep tech innovation into real-world impact, we combine two complementary forces — Research and Industry — and focus on three future topics that define tomorrow.

We focus on 3 future topics

We concentrate on three innovation verticals: Future Industry, Future Life Science, and Future Cities.

These fields are not only essential for the transformation of the Ruhr Region — they will also shape Europe’s future competitiveness.

Each vertical offers vast potential for pioneering solutions, new business models, and technologies that address global challenges.

Within these fields, we collaborate with top industry and academic partners in dedicated innovation clusters to accelerate impactful solutions.

We move from 2 directions

While Research Push unlocks entrepreneurial potential, Industry Pull drives it toward relevance, adoption, and scale.

Research Push

starts where future-defining ideas begin — in the labs of our partner universities and institutions. We identify early scientific breakthroughs and develop research and application in parallel from day one.

We currently focus on three globally competitive fields shaping tomorrow’s breakthrough technologies: Secure & Intelligent Systems, Advanced Materials, and Personalised Medicine — with more to follow as our ecosystem grows.

Industry Pull

starts with real-world challenges and turns them into concrete innovation opportunities. By integrating corporate and sector needs into our ecosystem, we ensure deep tech solutions meet immediate market demand while giving industry early access to innovation.

With leading industry partners, we co-create innovation clusters in Water, Chemistry, Energy, and PropTech & Real Estate, and invite corporates to join or build new clusters as opportunities emerge.

Our Startup Programmes

Our startup programmes guide you through the key phases of venture development: Start, Build, Grow, Scale. Each format is tailored to activate talent, validate ideas, accelerate growth, and open doors to industry and capital.

Start

Engaging students and researchers in entrepreneurship

Build

Helping teams turn their research ideas into successful businesses

Grow

Fast-tracking pilot projects and guiding startups through growth stages

Scale

Connecting startups with key customers, partners, and investors