Set-up of global research divisions

In 2018, we generated sales of around €9 billion with products launched on the market in the past ﬁve years that stemmed from research and development activities. In the long term, we aim to continue signiﬁcantly increasing sales and earnings with new and improved products. With our unique resources and capabilities, we aim to remain the most capable and the most innovative company. We will keep our commitment to long-term projects and breakthrough technologies. It is our ambition that our customers perceive us as their most attractive partner for all challenges that can be approached with chemistry.

To achieve this ambitious goal, we are further developing the research organization and bundling our competencies in three global research divisions. Close together with the development units in our operating divisions, they form the core of our global Know-How Verbund. In addition, our global network of outstanding universities, research institutes and companies forms an important part of our Know-How Verbund. Our eight Academic Research Alliances bundle partnerships with several research groups in a geographic region or with a speciﬁc research focus.

Our three global research divisions are run from our key regions – Europe, Asia Paciﬁc and North America:

Advanced Materials & Systems Research with headquarters at BASF’s Innovation Campus Asia Pacific in Shanghai.

We develop new structural materials, dispersions, functional materials as well as organic and inorganic additives for a wide range of customers from the automotive and construction industries, packaging, coatings, home and personal care, pharmaceutical.

Bioscience Research headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina

At Bioscience Research, we drive innovative, sustainable solutions for agricultural, food and industrial applications by unleashing the potential of biosciences to help create a better life and an improved environment. We progress our technology leadership to realize sustainable and differentiated value – for our customers, partners and for BASF. Our global presence provides the necessary foundation and strength for long-term success in this field.

Process Research & Chemical Engineering headquartered in Ludwigshafen

Our chemists and engineers work hand in hand worldwide to optimize existing processes and develop new processes for the BASF value chain. They are researching into alternatives to the raw material crude oil and are developing new technologies, for example for energy conversion and storage. Our research scientists are also working on alternatives to the chemical raw material crude oil and new technologies for energy conversion and storage (e.g. for electromobility) and ore and precious metal extraction.

The stronger presence outside of Europe will create new opportunities for building up and expanding customer relationships and scientific cooperation as well as for gaining access to talented employees. This strengthens the R&D Verbund and makes BASF an even more attractive partner and employer.

Our three global technology platforms are each run from the regions particularly significant for us – Europe, Asia Pacific and North America. Together with the development units in our operating divisions, they form the core of our global Know-How Verbund. BASF New Business GmbH and BASF Venture Capital GmbH supplement this network with the task of using new technologies to tap into attractive markets and new business models for BASF.

BASF New Business

We access new growth areas for BASF. We base these activities on social and ecological future trends which open up new market opportunities for the world's leading chemical company.
BASF New Business GmbH concentrates on markets, technologies and solutions in which chemistry has a key function and enables innovations.

Our interdisciplinary and international scouting and evaluation team continuously analyses change processes in today's market and technology environment, identifies new business opportunities and develops the required market strategies.

In this way we drive forward innovative system solutions in the growth areas important for us and our customers, such as energy management, organic electronics and medicine sector and establish them on the market.
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BASF Venture Capital

BASF Venture Capital GmbH is the corporate venture capital company of the BASF Group. We invest in start-up companies and venture capital funds worldwide. Moreover, we support innovative start-ups, both financially and with expert know-how from the BASF Group. In doing so, BASF is opening a window on new technologies.
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Collaborations

Our global network of universities, research institutes and companies forms an important part of our Know-How Verbund. We collaborate with them in many different disciplines. The direct access to external scientific expertise, new technologies and talented minds from various disciplines helps us to strengthen our portfolio with creative new projects.

Collaborations with academia

Collaborations with outstanding scientists are an important source of innovations. This is why we maintain close relations with many universities and research institutes.

Collaborations with Industry

A few projects that are representative of the numerous cooperative ventures we are pursuing together with our partners from industry are described below.

More Information about the BASF Verbund

Verbund is a BASF strength.

Climate protection is a central component of the BASF strategy. For many years, the company has been continuously reducing its CO2 emissions. For further significant reduction, innovative processes such as methane pyrolyse are being developed in research. BASF researchers have developed a new reactor concept so that hydrogen can be produced without CO2 emissions. Hydrogen is needed by the chemical industry in large quantities, for example for ammonia synthesis. In the new process, high-purity, granular carbon is produced as a by-product (photo). The implementation of the process on pilot scale is the next challenge for the BASF experts.

Kohlenstoff: Ein VIP unter den Elementen

Kohlenstoff ist ein VIP unter den Elementen. Wir kennen ihn in reiner Form als Diamant oder Graphit sowie chemisch gebunden als Kohle oder als eines der Grundelemente des Lebens. Auch bei BASF ist es eins der wichtigsten Elemente. Ein durchschnittliches BASF-Produkt besteht zu 50% aus Kohlenstoff. Als Kohlenstoffdioxid ist er hingegen eines der bekanntesten Treibhausgase. Um das Klima zu schützen, haben wir unser Kohlenstoff-Management gestartet.