The economy is still based on fossil fuels which leads to problems such as climate change, energy crisis and resource scarcity. Ways are therefore needed to break this dependency. The Joachim Herz Foundation would like to support precisely such solutions with the innovate! Fund. According to the call for proposals, it supports transfer-oriented research projects with high-risk approaches that make biogenic resources usable for a fossil-free future. Three interdisciplinary research teams are being sought.

Natural resources as a source of raw materials

Biogenic resources, natural raw materials derived from living or dead organisms, are an important lever for a fossil-free future. They can contribute to the energy transition as a source of energy and can be used in a variety of ways for building materials, industrial goods and products. However, there is a lack of solutions and innovative ideas from science that can actually be implemented in practice: “With the ”innovate! Fund, we support the courage to rethink the future and promote application-oriented projects,” says Sabine Kunst, Chairwoman of the Joachim Herz Foundation.