In February, we already reported on the technological breakthrough achieved by the transnational research consortium consisting of the HU startup Mimotype Technologies GmbH, the UCL Photonics Innovation Lab, and Modern Synthesis: Mimotype’s protein mScarlet3, Modern Synthesis’s stabilizing biogenic carrier matrix, and the microstructured surfaces from the UCL Photonics Innovation Lab combine to create a biogenic photoconversion film. This film converts sunlight directly into a form usable by plants, thereby boosting photosynthesis. We took the opportunity to ask Danilo Flores, one of the founders of Mimotype, questions about his company, the innovation, and the collaboration with international partners. In this interview, you will discover the advantages of this new invention compared to other photoactive materials, how exactly it works, and how agriculture can benefit from it.

Mimotype develops a new class of materials at the intersection of biology and photonics. At the core are so-called optically active proteins that can convert light in a targeted manner.

You can think of these proteins as biological nanomachines—like a ready-made system provided by nature that alters the properties of incoming light within the smallest possible space. The protein performs the useful optical work on its own, without needing to be ground or polished like a man-made lens. If you imagine a flow of light as a blowing wind, our protein is the sail that we hoist in such a way that our boat sails in the desired direction.

Our vision is a world where materials are not only high-performing but also completely biological and sustainable. Unfortunately, many photoactive substances used in our devices today, such as in our smartphone displays, are nothing short of toxic hazardous waste. There are studies on the accumulation of optical materials from OLED smartphone displays in Norwegian fjords or the South China Sea. These substances end up in the food chain and, ultimately, in our bodies.

Other high-performance optical materials, like quantum dots, are highly dangerous even during manufacturing—if one of the airtight chambers where these heavy-metal-based materials are produced leaks, it can cost human lives, which has indeed happened in the past, as we know from industry circles.

The decisive difference is that our solution is completely biogenic. Conventional photoconversion films are often based on rare earth elements, quantum dots, or synthetic dyes. We replace the synthetic components of these films with biological ones.

Our film combines three core elements: first, a high-performance fluorescent protein (mScarlet3); second, a biological carrier material made of bacterial nanocellulose; and third, a microstructured surface to facilitate light extraction as the light exits the film. The result is a nature-compatible, high-performance material system that can be produced scalably and, at the end of its lifespan, can simply be disposed of on a compost heap.

Biogenic Photoconversion Film (c) Mimotype

Plants only use certain parts of the light spectrum efficiently for photosynthesis—mainly red and blue light. A large portion of the energy content in sunlight remains unused. Our film “captures” these unused wavelengths and converts them into precisely the wavelengths that plants can utilize exceptionally well. This happens passively, meaning without any additional energy input.

To return to the sail analogy: our protein, mScarlet3, converts an unusable wavelength into a usable wavelength. This is comparable to a sail that harnesses the kinetic energy of the wind to move a vehicle forward. In the exact same way, mScarlet3 channels existing solar light energy and directs it into a narrowed target spectrum. The protein converts light into light—meaning one wavelength into another wavelength—a process known as interconversion.

There is no transduction involved, meaning no conversion of light into another form of energy like electricity. That is a process which actually has a rather modest efficiency rate—a fact that the solar panel industry likes to conveniently gloss over.

The protein mScarlet3 plays a central role here: it absorbs yellow light and emits it as deep red light—precisely in the spectral range that plants use most efficiently because their photoantennae are built for it. The biological matrix made of nanocellulose stabilizes the protein like a scaffold, ensuring that this process works reliably even under real-world conditions.

You actually have to distinguish between two things here: classic agricultural films—such as those used for asparagus or tunnel crops—and modern photoconversion films. Classic films are purely functional: they are usually made of polyethylene, protect plants from the weather, and create a microclimate. However, they do not actively intervene in the growth process—they simply let light pass through without altering its composition to optimize it.

Then, there is a new generation of high-tech films. These materials can actually alter the light spectrum: for instance, they use so-called quantum dots—inorganic nanoparticles—to convert UV and blue light into red light, which plants can use more efficiently.

This is a major step forward because the film actively contributes to productivity. At the same time, however, these solutions remain classic plastic systems at their core—featuring complex, partly inorganic materials that are neither biodegradable nor truly circular.

This is exactly where our technology comes in. We go a step further and completely replace these inorganic nanomaterials with biological building blocks. Instead of quantum dots, we use optically active proteins that achieve the same effect—meaning they convert light in a targeted manner—but based on biological functionality.

For greenhouse operators, there are several distinct benefits. For one, the optimized light utilization significantly increases biomass production—studies show yield gains of up to 30%. On top of that, there are zero additional operating costs because the technology functions without any external power source. Compared to supplemental LED lighting, this completely eliminates both high initial investment costs and ongoing energy expenses.

In practice, this translates to higher yields, more stable margins, and greater independence from volatile energy prices—a crucial factor, especially in times of energy crises.

In the long run, that is exactly the goal: a film that can be fully integrated into natural cycles. In other words, soft optical elements for the compost pile. Since our materials are based on proteins and biogenic carrier materials, they are inherently biodegradable and non-toxic.

Depending on the specific final product design and regulatory requirements, future disposal could be significantly easier than with classic plastic films—ideally relying entirely on biological decomposition. This fundamentally sets our solution apart from conventional agricultural films, which often have to be disposed of as plastic waste.

The collaboration grew out of our own initiative and was set in motion by Mimotype. We came across a publication by the UCL Photonics Innovation Lab about boosting light extraction through surface microtexturing, though that was based on conventional plastics and light converters. Around the same time, we had indications that Modern Synthesis’s nanocellulose could be an ideal scaffolding material for our luminescent proteins.

Internally, we thought of the project as a “Triple Whopper”—three unique approaches that, when combined, enable a completely new material system. There is nothing new under the sun, and taken individually, each of these approaches was already known. But the level of innovation comes from the fact that we envisioned these three methods together. Out of that, something never seen before was created, and we were able to demonstrate that biogenic materials are also perfectly suited for advanced manufacturing methods like surface microtexturing.

Each partner brought their specific expertise to the project:

• Mimotype develops the optically active proteins and the fundamental material design,
• Modern Synthesis provides the biological carrier matrix based on bacterial nanocellulose,
• The UCL Photonics Innovation Lab optimizes light guidance through microstructured surfaces.

The term “concept car” describes the fact that we are already demonstrating what is technologically possible—even if all the steps toward industrialization are not yet complete.

Currently, we are working on scaling production and testing the materials under real-world conditions. Parallel to this, we are optimizing cost structures and manufacturing processes, for instance, through biotechnological scaling in bioreactors.

When these films will hit the fields depends primarily on whether our approach gains traction: the idea that converting light directly into light can be more energy-efficient than agrivoltaics—where massive solar panels are built over agricultural fields to combine power generation and farming. Our philosophy is: new nanomaterials to harness the sun’s light energy without lossy conversion into electricity.

In any case, a technically scaled-down version of our concept will be tested on strawberries in Brazil starting this year. Hopefully, the intense sunlight will make those strawberries exceptionally sweet!

Der Beitrag Optimizing Photosynthesis with Mimotype. Interview with Founder Danilo Flores. erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

Weekly Wrap-up: Highlights in week 47

The Forum Junge Spitzenforschung is a highlight every year when it comes to showcasing young researchers and their excellent projects. This year, the focus was on topics related to “Water & Water Management.” Six finalist teams from Berlin’s major universities presented their innovative research projects, which were awarded a total of 42,000 euros. The following teams won, recognized by a jury of business experts for their practice-oriented solutions and transfer potential:

• 1st place (€12,000):
  • Bio-adsorber beads for water purification, Dr. Alejandro José Lorente Sanchez, Dr. Olaf Wagner, Ana Zidar, Freie Universität Berlin
• 2nd place (€10,000):
  • DeepANN-Hydro3D, Abdelrahman Ahmed Ali Abdelrahman, Technische Universität Berlin
• 3rd place (€8,000):
  • iOLE – intelligent online leak detection, Dr. Ella Steins, Nikolai-Iraj Sanamrad, Technische Universität Berlin
• 4th places (each €4,000):
  • CompactWater, Dr. Christian E. Halbig, Freie Universität Berlin;
  • High-performance atmospheric water harvester (HYVEST), Dr. Gustav Graeber, Maria Geidel, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin;
  • Ecopotfilter – Modular Biopolymer-Based Water Filtration for Heavy Metal Ion Removal, Dr. Mohammad Fardin Gholami, Dr. Siamak Gholami, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

The event is an initiative of Humboldt-Innovation GmbH and the Stiftung Industrieforschung, and showcases how outstanding young research is supported and celebrated in Berlin.

Why are young people turning to the extreme right, and what can we do about it? On November 21, 2025, researchers, journalists, policymakers, and representatives of civil society came together at the Lovers & Leaders Space in Berlin to discuss exactly this question. Participants included, among others, Prof. Dr. Heike Klüver (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), Prof. Dr. Sara Binzer Hobolt (The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)), Prof. Dr. Theresa Kuhn (Universiteit van Amsterdam), and Dr. Lena Gumnior (Alliance 90/The Greens).

Laura Möller, CEO of UNITE and Managing Director of AI NATION, has now been selected by Capital magazine as one of the “Top 40 Under 40,” recognized as individuals who achieve extraordinary things for German society. Laura can look back on an impressive career in the startup sector: she is a successful founder, has served as an investor, board observer, member and director, business angel, and today successfully leads UNITE and AI NATION. The startup factory UNITE is now supported by 35 partners as well as by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, which is funding the initiative with a total of 25 million euros. AI NATION is also a recent achievement: it represents the recent merger of the AI hubs K.I.E.Z. in Berlin and AI Munich. The merger aims to provide even better support for AI startups.

Der Beitrag Week 47: Forum Junge Spitzenforschung erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

In November 2025, six finalist teams will once again gather at the award ceremony of the “Forum Junge Spitzenforschung” to present their application-oriented research projects. This year’s focus is on the topic of water. In line with this theme, this edition of HI:BITS is dedicated to ten facts about water that you might not have heard of, but should definitely know!

1. In Germany, the average water consumption per person is around 130 liters per day, while a person living in a rural community in sub-Saharan Africa uses about 16 liters per day.
2. More than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, but less than three percent of it is drinkable. 97% of the water comes from the oceans, 2.5% consists of non-usable freshwater from glaciers and underground sources, and only 0.5% is usable freshwater.
3. The preservation and restoration of natural wetlands benefits climate protection. As HI, we are involved in the LIFE Multi Peat project, which focuses on rewetting peatlands in Europe to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
4. The process of turning natural water into drinking water involves several steps: It begins with flocculation, during which positively charged substances bind to negatively charged impurities, allowing them to be filtered out. Next comes sedimentation, where gravity helps remove particles from the bottom of the treatment plant. After that, sand and activated carbon filters are used to eliminate pathogens. Any remaining impurities are removed with disinfectants such as chlorine.
5. Up to 20 liters of water can flow through a faucet in one minute. With EcoSmart fittings, this amount can be reduced to around five liters. So if you turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, you can save at least 10 liters of water.
6. Globally, around 70% of water is used for agriculture, whereas in Europe the figure is only 35%.
7. The term “virtual water” was coined by British researcher John Anthony Allan. It refers to the amount of water used, evaporated, or contaminated throughout the entire production process of a product.
8. Producing one kilogram of cheese requires about 5,000 liters of water. For one kilogram of beef, the average is as high as 15,455 liters. For comparison: manufacturing a car requires around 20,000 liters of water.
9. A dishwasher saves significantly more water than washing dishes by hand. However, this only holds true if the dishwasher is energy-efficient and fully loaded.
10. Untreated wastewater causes emissions. However, treating it accounts for up to seven percent of greenhouse gases. According to UNESCO, improved processes and energy savings can help reduce this figure. Moreover, wastewater treatment itself can serve as a source of energy. Our startup Shit2Power is already leading the way: it transforms sewage sludge into clean energy and high-quality phosphorus ash, without producing any waste products.

Der Beitrag Ten waterproof facts erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

Humboldt University and Humboldt Innovation are participating in the monitoring of the LIFE Multi Peat project by NABU, promoting its accelerated implementation, and providing necessary equipment. The aim of the project is the restoration and, in parts, the transition to wet peatland management of project fields in Poland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Ireland. Functional peatlands significantly contribute to climate and species protection. From 2021 to 2026, with the support of the LIFE Climate Change Mitigation Programme, researchers will work to restore the natural functioning of peatlands. The project area in Germany is the “Häsener Luch” in Löwenbergerland, Brandenburg.

The restoration of peatlands is of enormous importance for climate protection because healthy peat landscapes store greenhouse gases, thus contributing to climate regulation, fulfilling important ecosystem functions, providing flood protection, filtering groundwater, and providing a habitat for threatened animal and plant species. It has catastrophic consequences when peatlands lose their function, mainly due to drainage for agricultural and forestry purposes, leading to microbial degradation of peat. In Germany, about 95% of peatlands are drained. As a consequence, peat areas can no longer store organic carbon and release it in massive amounts. For instance, the drained mainly agricultural peatland “Häsener Luch” emits an estimated 1290 tons of CO2 equivalent per year on an area of about 50 hectares.
For Europe, the figures indicate that the EU, globally, is the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases from peatlands. In Germany, seven percent of greenhouse gases are attributable to drained peatlands.

The reduction of greenhouse gases is intended to be achieved within the framework of LIFE Multi Peat through peatland rewetting and consequent raising of the water table. Specifically, this means restoring 689 hectares of peatland, reducing the global warming potential of the affected peat landscapes by up to 50%, developing strategies for paludiculture (wet peatland management) in Germany and Belgium, enabling improved communication and coordinated cooperation among EU peatland projects, and developing recommendations for expanding peatland restoration and an EU-wide decision support system for authorities and the private sector.

Humboldt University and Humboldt Innovation support the project in monitoring, playing an important role in the implementation of LIFE Multi Peat by NABU. Through HI, accelerated processing and procurement of necessary equipment, such as specialized measuring devices or gas analyzers, are possible. The research team can also utilize university laboratories through them to conduct specific measurements. As part of the project, the progress and success of the targeted reduction of greenhouse gas emissions are documented through monitoring. Under the leadership of HU Acting Professor Dr. Kathlin Schweitzer from the Department of Soil Science and Site Science, students and graduates of the department are involved in the NABU team. The faculty has a long tradition in peat soil research and is where a significant number of researchers currently working in the peat sector were trained

Der Beitrag Humboldt-Innovation supports NABU in moorland renaturation erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

Have you ever heard of the “12 Principles of Green Chemistry”?
In the 1990s, these were established by chemists John Warner and Paul Anastas, and they describe the sector’s holistic, interdisciplinary approach. These include:

1. Waste prevention
2. Avoidance of by-products (atom economy)
3. Carrying out syntheses with less hazardous substances
4. Production of the safest and most environmentally friendly chemicals possible
5. Use of environmentally friendly solvents and auxiliary substances
6. Use of energy-efficient processes
7. Use of renewable raw materials
8. Avoidance of derivatives as intermediates in syntheses
9. Use of catalysts
10. Production of biodegradable substances
11. Use of process analytics for continuous monitoring of syntheses
12. Accident prevention

In addition, these principles can be assigned to five objectives of Green Chemistry:

Sources: Grüne Chemie | Bedeutung | Umweltbundesamt

More articles on green chemistry:

Der Beitrag Principles and goals of green chemistry erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

Level Nine, a Berlin-based start-up founded by Emily Sheridan and Seadna Quigley, aims to change this trajectory. Emerging from the Humboldt-Innovation ecosystem, Level Nine develops specialized synthetic catalysts that could be transformative for a more sustainable chemical industry. These catalysts, known as nanozymes, emulate the functions of natural enzymes and can drive clean, efficient chemical reactions. With these catalysts, chemical firms can reduce – and potentially eliminate – their dependence on fossil fuels.

We spoke with Level Nine to learn more about their background, motivations, the role Humboldt-Innovation has played in their journey. We also discussed the significance of greener chemical industry and their perspectives on fostering innovation within the sector.

We’re a Berlin-based deep-tech company working on synthetic catalysts called nanozymes that mimic nature’s most efficient molecular machines: enzymes. As such, Level Nine sits at the intersection of where innovative chemistry meets the possibility to unlock a new era of manufacturing. To understand our technology, its history must first be understood; nature has spent billions of years perfecting chemical reactions through enzymes, but these biological catalysts are frustratingly fragile and expensive to work for industry. So, we asked ourselves, what if we could capture their precision and efficiency in more robust, synthetic structures?

This venture means we’re not just tweaking existing industrial processes, we’re fundamentally reimagining how chemical reactions can happen. Using insights from computational chemistry and bio-nanoscience, we build catalysts from the ground up that are designed for both industrial performance and environmental responsibility.

Founders Seadna Quigley (CEO) and Emily Sheridan (CTO) (c) Level Nine

Level Nine was founded by Emily Sheridan (CTO), a recipient of the Women in Tech EU award and a PhD in Bio-Nanoscience from a globally leading institution, alongside Seadna Quigley (CEO), who has a proven track record of scaling impactful bioeconomy ventures such as Metabolic and Fresh Ventures.

What began as a research project into bio-inspired catalysis quickly evolved into a commercial venture as we realized the industrial potential of our work. Though explored in academic circles, we saw that nanozymes had never been translated into a robust, scalable platform for real-world chemical manufacturing.

With a blend of scientific rigour, entrepreneurial experience, and a deep understanding of industrial challenges, our two founders set out to build the world’s first company capable of deploying synthetic enzyme-like catalysts at commercial scale, which became Level Nine.

How did Humboldt-Innovation support Level Nine?
Through access to Humboldt’s extensive research ecosystem and expert network, we were able to sharpen our scientific foundations while exploring commercialization pathways in a structured, supportive environment. Their backing also helped us secure key partnerships and credibility in the Berlin innovation ecosystem that accelerated our transition beyond the lab bench.
Whilst operating in a city renowned for its scientific excellence and startup dynamism, working alongside Humboldt-Innovation served as a bridge that helped us take our breakthrough research to the next level.

Their belief in our mission, especially during our very early stages, provided a confidence that affirmed the broader relevance of our work, and their support has continued to bolster our visibility and strategic development. In the early days, when you’re trying to convince investors and industry partners that your technology can work at scale, having Humboldt-Innovation’s backing sends a powerful signal.

Lab work (c) Level Nine

Our mission is straightforward but ambitious: we want to help the chemical industry become part of the climate solution instead of the climate problem. Right now, global chemistry is responsible for massive carbon emissions (over 3 gigatons of CO₂ annually). As a society there is a great dependency upon this industry, from pharmaceuticals and materials, to food production and fuels. We can’t just shut it down, we need to transform it.

That’s where our nanozymes come in. By developing catalysts that can drive clean, efficient chemical reactions, we’re giving companies the tools they need to move away from fossil-based processes without sacrificing performance or profitability. But our mission goes beyond just reducing emissions. We’re working toward a future where chemical manufacturing is decentralized, circular, and built around renewable feedstocks. Imagine chemical plants powered by agricultural waste instead of petroleum, or supply chains that regenerate resources instead of depleting them. That’s the transformation we’re trying to catalyze, literally and figuratively.

The chemical industry is everywhere, but its influence is easy to underestimate. The plastics in your phone, the fertilizers that grow your food, the medicines that keep you healthy: they all start with chemical processes. The industry touches virtually every aspect of modern life.
The problem is that most of these processes were developed decades ago when climate change wasn’t considered as urgently as it is today. The industry remains energy-intensive, heavily reliant upon fossil fuels, and produces enormous amounts of emissions – over 3 gigatons of CO₂ emissions per year, making it one of the largest contributors to global climate change. Now, as we race toward net-zero targets, chemistry has become one of the hardest and most-urgent sectors to decarbonize.

What excites us is the potential for positive impact. If we can unlock the potential of green chemistry, we don’t just reduce emissions but also enable entirely new ways of making things. We can turn agricultural waste into valuable chemicals, create materials that are designed for circularity from day one, and build manufacturing systems that actually strengthen rural economies. The urgency is real, but so is the opportunity. At Level Nine, we believe that by reinventing the very catalysts that drive chemical reactions, we can trigger a systemic change across the industry and transform it from a major emitter into a cornerstone of a regenerative economy.

To us, innovation is the art and science of bridging what is possible with what is needed. It is about turning knowledge into solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also socially and environmentally relevant. In our field, innovation means taking abstract scientific concepts and translating them into tangible tools that solve industrial-scale problems; we spend a lot of time thinking about molecules that don’t exist yet, and then figuring out how to make them do exactly what we need them to do. To us, transforming concepts into reality is innovation in its purest form. It’s a process that requires courage, creativity, and collaboration. Innovation begins in the lab, but it must be validated in the real world and ultimately deliver impact that can be felt across markets and ecosystems.

Crucially, we see innovation as an iterative journey, not a destination. It’s about continually asking: how can we do this better, cleaner, faster, or more fairly? At Level Nine, innovation is built into our workflows, our culture, and our partnerships. It is the driving force behind every molecule we design and every solution we deploy. What keeps us going is knowing that every breakthrough in the lab gets us closer to catalysts that could transform entire supply chains. Innovation means staying curious, staying persistent, and never losing sight of the bigger picture.

In the chemical industry, innovation is not optional – it is existential. As one of the most resource-and energy-intensive sectors globally, chemistry faces mounting pressure to evolve. Whether it’s reducing greenhouse gas emissions, replacing toxic reagents, or securing alternative feedstocks, innovation is the only path forward. Historically, much of the industry’s innovation has been incremental, whether optimizing existing processes or improving yields. But now the equation has changed. Companies need to hit sustainability targets, regulatory requirements are tightening, and customers are demanding cleaner products. Suddenly, incremental innovation isn’t enough and the challenges of the 21st century demand a step change: radical innovation that reimagines the fundamentals of chemical synthesis and production.

This is precisely where Level Nine operates. By introducing synthetic catalysts that emulate enzymes, we offer a new framework for chemical reactions that is inherently more selective, efficient, and sustainable. Our nanozyme technology is a perfect example of innovation meeting necessity: it not only outperforms traditional catalysts, but also addresses critical supply chain and sustainability challenges. The beautiful thing about working in such a foundational technology is the ripple effect. When you improve the catalysts that drive chemical reactions, you potentially improve every process that uses those reactions. A single breakthrough in our lab could influence how bio-based materials are produced or how renewable feedstocks are processed.

Der Beitrag Level Nine Nanozymes spark green chemistry erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

For example, textile production requires enormous amounts of water and land. Producing a single cotton T-shirt consumes about 2,700 liters of fresh water—equivalent to the amount one person would drink over 2.5 years. Accordingly, in 2020, the textile industry was the third-largest contributor to water pollution and land use. In addition, greenhouse gas emissions harmful to the climate are rising with the consumption of fast fashion products. According to the European Environment Agency, purchasing textiles in 2020 generated around 270 kg of CO₂ emissions per person. It is clear that something needs to change.

People like fashion designer Stephanie Pupke-Bertram are among those bringing textile upcycling into the mainstream of consumer society, aiming to counteract textile waste. Stephanie’s project is called recreategoods, which she launched together with software engineer Thomas Chille. At the heart of the project is an AI Upcycling Design Assistant. This tool is used to upcycle unsold but ready-to-wear items by generating visual design suggestions for modifying the original design of a garment.

In this way, new collections can be created from unsold stock. Fashion designers can choose from the photorealistic suggestions to match their collection plans. They then receive a work specification that allows them to commission a suggested tailoring service or production facility to process and upgrade the garments accordingly. Through this approach, Stephanie helps the fashion industry make meaningful use of existing, stored inventory—keeping these items in circulation, saving on raw material costs, and preserving valuable production time.

In 2024, fashion designer Stephanie Pupke-Bertram completed the EXIST-Women program, an initiative supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, the Project Management Agency Jülich, and the European Social Fund. The program supports female founders emerging from universities and research institutions. Through this initiative, the federal government aims to empower women and foster greater diversity in the still male-dominated startup ecosystem.

EXIST-Women helped Stephanie pursue her vision of a company specializing in textile upcycling by providing her with the necessary framework. In addition to structural guidance, the program offers events, consulting, mentorship, and financial support for its participants.

Stephanie highlights how much she benefited from these offerings: workshops, one-on-one coaching with Katja Brunner—startup advisor at the HU Founders’ Hub and expert in female entrepreneurship—and mentoring by Darina Mamonova, who played a key role in product development and continues to support her today.

She also took away an important mindset shift: to seek out more support and ask more questions. As a result, her daily work has become more structured and analytical, creating more space for creative and artistic exploration.

EXIST-Women also expanded Stephanie’s professional network. Through the workshops, she connected not only with Berlin-based fellows but also with participants from other cities and diverse backgrounds.

Stephanie was particularly impressed by the comprehensive support offered by Science & Startups, Berlin’s startup network, which provides in-depth guidance and resources for startups at every development stage.

In March, a new cohort of EXIST-Women fellows began their funding period. This time, 28 founders will spend the coming months developing their ideas and learning together. We look forward to seeing what innovations lie ahead.

Thanks to EXIST-Women, both Stephanie’s project recreategoods and Stephanie herself have grown significantly. For 2025 and 2026, the recreategoods team has ambitious plans: a new team member will support market entry, several collaborative projects with various fashion labels are in the pipeline, and the AI tool will continue to be trained.

In addition, the team aims to develop a long-term business plan, enhance the AI Upcycling Design Assistant with new features, and turn it into a market-ready product.

Stephanie’s journey shows that EXIST-Women is more than just a short-term support program—it continues to bear fruit long after it ends. It’s well worth being a part of it.

Der Beitrag Combating fast fashion with upcycling erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

The warnings from scientists are clear: the climate catastrophe is unfolding at a rapid pace. In 2023, a temperature increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to the period between 1850 and 1900 was recorded. According to scientists, this 1.5-degree threshold will be exceeded in the coming years. Extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts, storms, heavy rainfall, and floods are becoming increasingly frequent, even in Germany.

Yet, we continue to live in a society where energy sources are largely fossil-based, further fueling climate change (Diekmann, 2024).

Current climate policy measures are insufficient to curb the devastating developments. Both the general public and politicians often respond to the issue with cognitive dissonance, effectively ignoring it. The fact is, policymakers frequently fail to give this existential issue the necessary attention (Hiss, 2021).

Researchers from the Humboldt Governance Lab have explored whether extreme weather events lead European political parties to become more aware of the need for climate policy leadership and adjust their political agendas accordingly. In their 2024 study, “Extreme weather events do not increase political parties’ environmental attention,” researchers Wappenhans, Valentim, Klüver, and others investigated whether extreme weather events lead to increased environmental policy action and communication.

To do so, the research team analyzed 260,000 press releases from 68 political parties across nine EU countries, published between 2010 and 2020. The scientists focused on publications related to environmental issues. The number of press releases served as a measure of the attention politicians paid to environmental topics. The occurrence of extreme weather events was determined using data on storms, floods, wildfires, and temperature extremes.

The study’s findings are alarming: extreme weather events, which often claim many lives, do not lead to a significant increase in political parties’ attention to environmental issues. Only Green parties are an exception, as they tend to communicate more about such events during the week they occur. However, even they reduce this communication a week later.

Not only is the low frequency with which parties engage with climate policy issues concerning, but the communicative focus in the context of environmental disasters is also questionable. During extreme weather events, the primary focus is often not on the root cause—climate change—but rather on providing information aimed at offering relief to the population.

The study by the Humboldt University researchers clearly shows that European political parties do not prioritize environmental issues, even when the consequences of extreme weather events are particularly devastating.

At least, voting behavior after environmental disasters indicates that such events influence people’s decisions, albeit to a moderate extent.

This behavior suggests that environmental protection is important to the public, which could incentivize parties to focus more on climate issues. The researchers suspect that politicians underestimate the potential public support for such topics. Studies on parties in the UK, for example, show that discussing climate issues can help parties attract more voters. This phenomenon could likely be applied to other European countries, although this is not the case in the US.

Nevertheless, climate policy measures in Europe remain inadequate and disheartening, especially considering that Europe is a continent where the population has been sensitized to environmental issues for decades. One would have expected a greater awareness of the need for climate policy leadership.

Sources:

Extreme weather events do not increase political parties‘ environmental attention | Nature Climate Change

Hiss, D. (2021, July). Hitze, Extremwetter und kognitive Dissonanz. In Climate Action-Psychologie der Klimakrise (pp. 141-158). Psychosozial-Verlag. (9783837978018-141.pdf). 

Diekmann, A. (2024). Klimakrise. Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG. (Einleitung – Nomos eLibrary)

Der Beitrag Extreme weather – a driver for climate protection? erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

Air pollution is a global challenge that affects human health and the environment. As an invisible threat, it is often overlooked, yet its impacts are far-reaching: In the short term, it can cause respiratory problems, eye irritation, coughing, and headaches; in the long term, it can contribute to serious diseases such as heart disease, respiratory diseases, stroke, and cancer. Children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing conditions are particularly at risk.

In September 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) tightened its air quality guidelines, advocating for lower concentrations of pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in outdoor air. In Germany, the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) is responsible for monitoring air quality, and the state networks also monitor pollutant concentrations extensively.

Public interest and awareness of air quality are also growing. Simultaneously, recent advancements in microsensor technologies have introduced new possibilities for measuring air quality with air quality sensors (AQS). AQS now play a helpful role in measuring and studying air quality. In addition to official measurements, they can monitor air quality concerning compliance with national or cross-border standards, analyze trends, or identify hotspots at the local and municipal levels.

Due to their cost efficiency and ease of use, they are of particular interest not only to scientists but also to parts of civil society: More and more citizens are delving into questions that were once solely the domain of scientists. They join networks and work together on scientific topics. “>The involvement of the public and the collaboration between civil society and science can significantly increase the amount of available air quality data. This is particularly important for areas away from state monitoring stations or in regions with high spatial and temporal variability in air quality, such as cities and industrial areas. The results obtained from “Citizen Science” are a valuable complement to the officially collected data.

However, to ensure quality control and reduce the risk of misinterpretation, there are some criteria that must be considered when collecting data with AQS. In a brochure published in 2023, Prof. Dr. Christoph Schneider, Prof. Dr. Tobias Sauter, and Janani Venkatraman Jagatha from the Geographical Institute of Humboldt University of Berlin, together with Dr. Ulrich Vogt and Miriam Chacon-Mateos from the Institute of Combustion and Power Plant Technology at the University of Stuttgart, provide an overview of the measurement of outdoor air pollution using air quality sensors (AQS). This brochure offers guidance to users to help them achieve a higher level of quality in their own measurements. Additionally, strategies and recommendations for conducting measurements with AQS in outdoor air are presented, along with instructions for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting the measurement data.

The diverse applications of sensor technology were also evident at the annual Forum Junge Spitzenforschung. This year’s theme was “Sensors and Data Analysis in Practical Use.” The event took place on November 14 at the Veterinary Anatomy Theater of Humboldt University. Young scientists presented their projects, and the first place was awarded to Julian Bopp for his “Chip-integrated Diamond NV Quantum Magnetometry Camera.”

Der Beitrag Universities support citizen scientists with air quality measurement erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.

In March 2024, the initiative greenCHEM has celebrated its brand launch. greenCHEM aims to make the chemical industry more sustainable and eco-friendly. It has been four years that industrial engineer Martin Rahmel is the CEO of the Chemical Invention Factory. Now, he is also co-ordinator of the greenCHEM consortium. In an interview, we spoke with him about his path towards chemistry, the role of chemistry for the industry, greenCHEM and its advantages as well as other interesting topics.

My father inspired me to get into chemistry. He studied chemistry at TU Berlin, did his PhD and was chief production manager at Schering in the end. I can remember my first chemistry lecture very well. I was very nervous and excited. I wanted to know more about chemistry. And the oxygenhydrogen reaction is a lasting memory of mine. Luckily, I did not get a tinnitus.

Chemistry fascinates because it is the science of material change. You add A to B and something new comes into being, a new material. And the diversity of creating such new materials is endless.

My main motivation is the topic of sustainability. Professionally as well as in my private life. In private, I am First Chairman of a registered nature conservation association for sustainable, near-natural river ecosystems. Professionally, I also deal with ecosystems, but those are ecosystems of innovation in the field of green chemistry. That is my passion, that is my motivation: Bringing new sustainable materials on the market with the help of green chemistry is just amazing.

I think there are problems in several sectors with regard to the topic of innovation for sustainability. There are interesting studies that prove that we have multiplied the number of researchers within the last 30 years, but the impact on economy is missing. The chemical industry is no exception here. When we look at the causes, we can find that those are not only the industry, the researchers or the state. It is a multifactoral problem. However, with regard to the chemical industry, it must first be noted that this industry has always played a kind of latecomer role due to long development cycles and high capital intensity. This can be regarded as a disadvantage or as an advantage and I am a person who is very optimistic. So, I consider it as an advantage, since we can learn from other industries and do a better job. At this point, one can find specific circumstances that are very challenging at the moment such as the linear logic of the economy we want to transfer into a recyclable one, changing the whole basis of ressources that are fossil up to 87% into renewable, biogenic carbon sources and lastly, the mitigation of toxic substances.

If we success to do that, we are able to build a new chemical industry to which innovations are essential. That is what we stand for.

greenCHEM is a joint project by TU Berlin, Free University and Humboldt-University that is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research and Education. The goal is to create a specific transfer space. This sounds relatively cryptic. To put it simply: We are the innovation ecosystem for green chemistry. We are united by our guiding principle, namely to unfold sustainability impact of green chemistry through optimized transfer.

The vision of greenCHEM is actually very simple: We aim to be the European innovation ecosystem for green chemistry. So, when some scientist in Europe or somewhere else has a realization, a research result, then there must be the question: Where do I have to go? Where do I get the help to unfold this potential in the fastest and best way possible? This is exactly the place we want to be.

Our next steps depend on what it takes to become this place. These are two central topics in the end: The first topic is the infrastructure. In chemistry, we need the appropriate infrastructure in the form of laboratories and analytics, from basic research to production, and this is exactly what we provide in a unique way in greenCHEM.

From infrastructure for basic research such as the “Center for the Science of Materials Berlin” at Humboldt-University that we are intentionally keeping open, also for technology transfer and startup-teams, to the Chemical Invention Factory at the TU Berlin or Scaleup-Lab where we conduct reactions up to 150 liters at the Free University.

The whole thing is rounded off in cooperation, for example with Brandenburg, where we will provide space for pre-production for so-called pilot plant scales with the Startup Lab in Schwedt. That is the first factor, the infrastructure, the hardware.

There is also a very essential, soft factor: the ecosystem. And this is exactly what we are creating with greenCHEM by binding partners to us and creating them around us in order to achieve a diverse ecosystem for joint success in the innovations of green chemistry.

I think, we all accept and understand the “Why”. The “Why do we have to integrate sustainability in our agency?”. Also the “What” is accepted: “What do we have to do to live sustainability?”. But in chemistry, the main question is now: How do we implement it? Exactly to this, the 12 principles of green chemistry respond. They give chemists examples and guidance on how they can reinvent chemistry in order to realize the “why” and the “what” and to design sustainable products and procedures.

Let’s be honest: We are facing an enormous transformation of the chemical industry. Correspondingly, it takes all players to implement successful transfer. That is why we as greenCHEM have identified five target areas where we will become active together with the stakeholder groups behind it. In accordance with the five target areas, we have different offers of how we get into interaction. It ranges from teaching and research to create transfer from the universitary perspective to collaboration with the industry in the fields of innovation and advanced training as well as societal dialogue. All this, you find on our homepage and we would be very pleased if you subscribe to our newsletter.

There is a broad variety of examples of innovations that come from green chemistry. We alone have fourty different technology transfer- and startup-teams that are already selling their innovations or on the verge of doing that. When you look at the variety it reflects such of the chemical industry. It ranges from applications for lacquers, underwater boats to heat and energy storage materials in general, packaging materials etc.. In the end, every chemically manufactured product needs innovation and deserves innovation.

Ultimately, there are three central merits of such a compound innovation ecosystem: Firstly, complementarity. I think on the basis of the infrastructure it could be recognized quite well that we as a composite create a whole that provides for necessary infrastructure through all technological development stages. The second huge advantage is the critical mass. In compound, the three universities are able to set the critical mass of students and PhD candidates in chemistry. Lastly, variety which I have learned from natural ecosystems: The variety we cover across the three universities, the inspiring people. Conflating the diversity of these people is certainly challenging, but also accompanied by enormous potentials.

All in all, I can say of course that it is a huge privilege for us to work with such outstanding scientists in chemistry from three universities in Berlin. Where do you get such a diversity? I am definitely very grateful.

This strongly depends on the background you have. I can recommend students for instance to attend to our course offerings. Outstanding is certainly the “Micro Credential Sustainble Entrepreneurship”. If you are a PhD candidate, doctorate or Post-doc, I can recommend several event series where you dive into the innovation ecosystem. This also deems for professors. Just reach out to us if you have research results that could have impact potential. You can find us on our homepage www.greenchem.berlin where we also offer our newsletter so that you are always up-to-date.

Thank you very much for the interview!

Der Beitrag greenCHEM and necessary change in the chemical industry – Interview with Martin Rahmel erschien zuerst auf Humboldt-Innovation Insights.