As part of the anniversary celebration, Goethe University Frankfurt’s technology transfer company reflected on its successful history and honored outstanding application-oriented research projects with the Goethe Innovation Award.
Innovectis, Goethe University’s technology transfer company, celebrated its 25th anniversary this week. The event held on Westend Campus featured best practice presentations, while application-driven research projects were recognized with the Goethe Innovation Award.
As the university’s technology transfer company, Innovectis is responsible for inventions, patenting, and the commercialization of application-oriented research. By connecting with investors and industry, Innovectis opens doors for researchers, clinicians, students, and startup teams to bring innovative ideas into practice. Among the celebrated best practice projects were Obnitix, whose cell preparation offers new therapeutic options for terminally ill leukemia patients; the spinoff Vivlion, which provides groundbreaking DNA library technology for medical research; and a drug development project for ovarian cancer from the Department of Gynecology, supported and financed by the CARMA Fund, co-founded by Innovectis.
Dr. Ulrich Breuer, Goethe University’s Head of Administration and Member of the Executive Board, praised the development of Innovectis as a success story: “For 25 years, Innovectis has been the link between science and business. What has been achieved here represents the vibrant dialogue between our university and industry partners, as well as the successful transfer of research into practical applications. The work of Innovectis, which today also manages our startup center Unibator, has become an indispensable part of Goethe University’s innovation and transfer ecosystem.
Hessian Minister of Economics Kaweh Mansoori emphasized in his welcoming address that building bridges between higher education research, start-ups, and established companies significantly contributes to the innovative strength of the Rhine-Main region: “Entrepreneurial spirit at universities is the driving force behind innovation, economic growth, and societal progress. It’s essential to foster young talent, encourage them to pursue bold new ideas, and create the right structures for successful transfer between research and business.”
In the final round of the Goethe Innovation Award, sponsored for the third time by the Frankfurter Sparkasse Foundation, teams from the fields of physics, geology, and medicine competed. After an exciting competition, a panel of experts selected the winning teams, who received prize money as well as the opportunity to participate in the Goethe-Unibator start-up program.
The top three projects were: “Intelligent Terahertz,” featuring AI-supported technology for object detection and material testing; “Waterprint,” a patented system for wastewater monitoring; and “DAS” (Distributed Acoustic Sensing), which focuses on the collection of seismic activity data, such as earthquakes. Additional awards went to the projects “Phage Therapy Center,” which presented innovative therapeutic concepts for treating deadly bacterial infections, and “Visiogenics,” a 3D visualization method for implant planning in dentistry. This year, the prize money was doubled thanks to the start-up support fund Futury Capital.
Dr. Kirstin Schilling, Managing Director of Innovectis, stated: “Innovations arise from the determined implementation of research findings and the establishment of structures that provide long-term support for this progress. Our thanks go to all partners from science, industry, and the many active contributors in the start-up ecosystem, whose commitment transforms research projects and business ideas into future technologies and builds new companies.”
Offering an outlook as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Innovectis and Vice President for Transfer, Prof. Dr. Michael Huth emphasized: “For 25 years, Innovectis has supported researchers in generating societal benefits from ideas and insights – from invention disclosures to patents, commercialization, and company founding. The Goethe Innovation Award recognizes this entrepreneurial spirit and promotes collaboration between academics, start-ups, and established companies. This mindset has shaped Innovectis and remains a guiding principle for the future.”
The anniversary celebration concluded with musical accompaniment and a networking buffet, bringing together over 200 invited guests from science, business, and politics.
Innovectis is Goethe University Frankfurt’s technology transfer company. Since its founding in 2000, Innovectis has actively supported researchers and those interested in founding companies in patenting, marketing, and applying scientific results. Through tailored guidance and comprehensive services, Innovectis accompanies the journey from invention disclosures to licensing and the establishment of successful start-ups. As the operator of Goethe-Unibator, the university’s start-up center, Innovectis fosters innovative business ideas and facilitates exchange with companies and investors in the Rhine-Main region. The goal is to bring academic expertise into practice and business effectively and seamlessly – driving innovation and societal progress.
For more information about Innovectis, Goethe-Unibator, and the Goethe Innovation Award, please visit https://innovectis.de/en/homepage/
