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BASF Innovation Collaboration Day 2024
BASF in the UK wants to hear from start-ups and early-stage companies developing innovative and sustainable solutions. Interested companies concerning technologies in Enzyme innovation or Agritech innovation are invited to apply by 16 May 2024.
Commercial Director BASF UK & Ireland, Darren Budd invites you to apply.
"Today more than ever before, we are looking for answers to problems like climate change, scarcity of resources and nature restoration. And given the transformative action that is needed to tackle these challenges, it is clear that the solutions will be found through partnership.
As one of the most innovative chemical companies in the world, we know that chemistry will be key to this.
After the success of the 2023 Innovation Collaboration Day, we are once again seeking start up and scale up innovators who would be interested in discussing their technology with BASF and exploring opportunities for collaboration."
Applying for BASF Innovation Collaboration Day 2024
Applications are invited for technologies in Enzyme Innovation and Agritech Innovation.
Applications are open 1 May - 16 May 2024.
Enzyme Innovation
We are searching for companies in Northern and Central Europe, including the UK and Ireland, which are potential collaborators for our projects related to enzyme innovations. We are eager to establish partnerships with companies that possess well-developed technologies, which will contribute to our journey towards achieving net zero emissions.
- Care chemical enzymes: we are particularly interested in companies that have pioneered unique technologies for working with enzymes, and specifically technologies that can be applied in the care chemicals industry (fabric care, personal care, household cleaning products, etc.)
- Evolution of industrial enzymes: solutions that can transform enzymes into effective industrial catalysts. Our focus in this area lies in the Home care and I&I (Institutional and Industrial) sectors. For instance, companies that have developed enzymes for laundry detergents, dishwashing products, or industrial cleaning solutions
- Strain and bioprocess development: we are interested in technologies that can efficiently identify and enhance microbial strains for use as industrial enzymes. Companies in this field may have developed advanced techniques for strain engineering or bioprocess optimization
Agritech Innovation
We are actively seeking innovators in the agricultural sector across the UK & Ireland for potential collaboration, including start-ups, SMEs and R&D incubators within universities and research institutes focused on agriculture and the farmed environment. Specifically, we are interested in hearing from innovators working on the following areas of work:
- Precision and digital applications: innovative digital tools and applications that can be applied to various aspects of agriculture, production, soil management, and carbon soil management and sensor technologies that aid in monitoring biodiversity on agricultural land and measuring carbon levels in soils
- Genetic editing: explore techniques that target plant traits to help achieve national targets such as carbon sequestration, net-zero emissions, and optimized crop inputs
- Crop production: novel products that provide effective control of pests, weeds, and diseases, or support integrated pest management (IPM) approaches. Additionally optimised fertiliser utilisation technologies which help to reduce emissions and stabilise nutrients in soil and plants, minimising environmental impacts
- Plant health and resilience: synthetic, biological, and plant stimulant technologies based on novel approaches. This cluster excludes seaweed extract companies and aims to find innovative solutions for enhancing plant health and resilience
Apply by 16 May 2024 to take part in BASF Innovation Collaboration Day 2024.
Simply complete the online form which can be found here.
Get in touch
We look forward to hearing from our amazing community of innovators. For more information please check out our Frequently Asked Questions section below. And for further questions or support about getting involved, please email the team on icday-uk@basf.com.
Article published 19 April 2024, updated 1 May 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
We are looking for innovative companies or individuals with great ideas, for either of the two innovation clusters (enzyme innovation or agritech innovation), where BASF can support in either a partnership or an investment.
We would like our application process to be as inclusive as possible and are open to hearing from any interested early-stage enterprise. Whether at concept or scaleup phase, we are looking to help move your innovation solution forward.
BASF is looking at creating relationships and supporting innovative solutions. After the pitching day, we will get in touch with the outstanding start-ups to define the best route for a potential partnership. It could be mentoring, exposure, collaboration on scaling, investment, or any other type of partnership decided between the start-up and BASF.
Applications are open 1 May - 16 May 2024.
To apply for BASF Innovation Collaboration Day 2024 simply complete the online form which can be found here.
No. However the application form can be easily viewed without submitting. Simply click on the link, fill in your contact details and proceed to the next step. You do not need to save the form at this stage and we will not be notified.
We will only receive your application once you click submit.
Additional material to support your application could include a link to your website, links to published articles about your solution or links to any relevant presentation. There is space on the application form to add links and upload additional information. Large files can be shared using WeTransfer or sent to icday-uk@basf.com referencing your application. Avoid adding information that you would consider confidential.
If you have any concerns or questions please don’t hesitate to contact us at icday-uk@basf.com
Round One: Depending on the range of applications, we will invite up to 30 applicants to provide a short 10 minute presentation to a member of our judging panel over Microsoft Teams. This will be followed by a short Question and Answer session.
Round Two: A shortlist of 12 companies will be invited to attend an in-person pitching day in front of our judging panel. This will consist of a 30 minute presentation, followed by a 20 minute Question and Answer session.
Companies will be shortlisted taking into consideration BASF’s net zero roadmap, the UK Government priorities and compatibility with BASF’s expertise.
Round Two shortlisted entries will be invited to present their innovative solutions to a BASF expert panel on 3 and 4 September 2024 in Central London.
You will be contacted by 1 June 2024 to inform you whether your application has been successful or not. Invitations to Round One (a Microsoft Teams call) will be sent out to successful applicants. You will be offered a choice of dates.
BASF will contact you by 1 June 2024 to inform you if you have been shortlisted.
If you are shortlisted for our pitching day on the 3 and 4 September 2024 (Round Two), BASF will contact you by 15 August 2024 and invite you to present to a panel of experts. We will provide full details directly to the shortlisted parties. The event will take place in Central London.
Shortlisted parties will be provided with information in advance to allow preparation for the pitching day, including who will be on the panel and how the day will go.
On the pitching day, you will present your idea to a panel of experts and discuss what your requirements are in terms of support from BASF. Each company will have between 30-45 minutes to present their idea, answer questions from the panel of experts, and receive initial feedback about the solution. Immediate proposals for partnership or investment should not be expected during the session. BASF will be in touch with applicants following the pitching day.
If you are not shortlisted for the event, we will contact you with our feedback.
We will contact you with our feedback.
If you have any questions about the event, please send an email to icday-uk@basf.com
For media enquiries or to repurpose this article, please contact: emma.gregory@basf.com