Working Group
Innovation
Mission
The 'Trilateral strategy for the chemical industry' is a cross-border cooperation between the Netherlands, Flanders and North Rhine-Westphalia. This region is the home to 40% of the chemical industry in Europe. The Working Group Innovation aims to accelerate cross-border innovation in this region. It consists of members from associations (Essenscia, VCI NRW, VNCI), innovation clusters (e.g. Catalisti, ChemistryNL, TKI Energy & Innovation, Chemstars, CLIB), and ministries (the Flemish Department of Work Economy, Science Innovation and Social Economy, the Dutch Ministry of Climate and Green Growth, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia).
We are fully committed to innovative, sustainable solutions as engine for the competitiveness of the chemical industry in the trilateral region: we share knowledge and expertise towards cooperative projects . A strong dialogue between industry, research and administration helps us to develop common positions that accelerate innovation.
Aproach
The innovation workgroup approach is motivated by needs of the chemical industry. Innovation ambitions of both established companies as well as start-ups and scale-ups are within our scope. In pursuing these ambitions, the working method is bottom-up, industry-driven collaboration to connect science with innovative market developments, building on regional, national and European projects and funding schemes.
Acitivities
This year, the working group innovation will hold its fourth edition of the Trilateral Matching Event (Trilateral Innovation Summit: United by Chemistry), gathering chemical companies active in areas such as circular plastics, CCU and bio-based raw materials and chemicals. This event facilitates:
Furthermore, we discuss the opportunities and industry interest to participate in state aid instruments, such as an IPCEI, as trilateral region. Lastly, throughout the year, the group engages to strengthen its cooperation and will start a dialogue with the regional incubators to better support start-ups.
• Partnering between companies and with knowledge institutions for cross-border innovation projects.
• Sharing expe rience/ideas on industrial transformation issues and the potential and deliverables of the trilateral region.
Furthermore, we discuss the opportunities and industry interest to participate in state aid instruments, such as an IPCEI, as trilateral region. Lastly, throughout the year, the group engages to strengthen its cooperation and will start a dialogue with the regional incubators to better support start-ups.
Strategic Innovation themes:
• CO2 as a feedstock source (CCU)
• E-cracking / Electrification in High-Temperature Cracking
• Electrochemical conversions
• Low-carbon chemical value chains / Carbon circularity
• Hydrogen of the future
• Biomass as a feedstock
• Digital Transformation
Enabling Topics:
• Startup & Scale-ups
• Demo- & Pilot Plants
• Funding & innovation Hurdles