Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals) announces the 13 finalists for the 2019 edition of its Imagine Chemistry collaborative innovation challenge. The competition generated more than 160 innovative ideas from startups, scale-ups, university spin-outs and other potential partners. Imagine Chemistry was launched to tackle chemistry-related challenges and uncover new ways to create value for customers, according to Nouryon.
The 13 finalists are:
Sustainable bio-based surfactants (in partnership with Unilever)
CarbExplore Research - The Netherlands
Fraunhofer IGB - Germany
Sironix Renewables – U.S.
The University of Sheffield + Entomics - GB
Performance-boosting nanoparticles
RISE - Sweden
Sensing in demanding chemical environments
Arenal Process Control Solutions - The Netherlands
Fluence Analytics – U.S.
Ingu Solutions - Canada
Label-free chemistries
Intelligent Fluids - Germany
Pushing the frontiers of chemical innovation
Altum Technologies - Finland
Cambridge Carbon Capture - UK
Ionomr - Canada
Kansas State University – U.S.
The finalists will participate in an intensive three-day event in May at the company’s RD&I center at Deventer, the Netherlands, where they will work with Nouryon experts and business leaders to further develop their ideas into a joint value case.
Winners are granted awards ranging from joint development and research agreements to dedicated support from Imagine Chemistry partners. Unilever, for example, offers the opportunity for winners to collaborate with its R&D teams and test facilities to move their ideas to the next phase of development.
In three years Imagine Chemistry has generated more than 500 offerings, and several are entering the commercial phase, according to the company. These include Semiotic Labs, which uses machine learning and proprietary sensors to predict when and why equipment fails; and Invert Robotics, which provides safer, non-destructive inspection services using state-of-the-art mobile climbing robots.
For more information, visit: www.nouryon.com
