“We don’t care where you come from – we care where you want to go!”

Under this motto, age, country of origin, or background are not selection criteria – everyone is equally welcome. Track C is for pre-incorporation teams and individuals with early-stage, non-commercial intellectual property (IP) in chemistry or a related field ready for validation. Founded companies are not eligible.

While there is no strict team size requirement, please note that a maximum of three members per team are eligible to participate as active Inno-Talents in the program. If your team is larger, you will need to designate the primary participants before the program begins.

The innovate! call is an intensive business and technology validation program specifically designed for the needs of green chemistry innovations. All selected participants work in parallel on business modeling and lab-based technology validation for up to twelve months on-site in Berlin. To ensure that innovators can focus on the program from day one, the selected individuals receive stipends to cover living expenses and – if needed – our partner Berlinovo provides furnished apartments to secure a soft landing in Berlin and its vibrant ecosystem.

In Track C, we provide a launchpad to participants from which they can validate their technologies and build their spinouts. Through the program, individuals or small teams may seek new team members to fill any skill gaps from the talent pool in Track A. Track C participants may also look for additional IP from Track B patent holders to enhance their own technology. In either case, teams will have one month to finalize collaboration details. Inno-Talents are also required to secure an Inno-Director for their teams and collaborate with them for the entire program.

Yes! The innovate! call awards up to 10 stipends to Inno-Talents in total (up to three per spinout team). The value of the stipend varies according to each Inno-Talent’s qualification and family situation:

• Inno-Talents with master’s degree: € 2,500 per month

• Inno-Talents with PhD degree: € 3,000 per month

• Inno-Talents receive a supplement of € 150 per month for each dependent child

In addition, we grant each team up to € 40,000 for materials and investment expenses related to technology development. In addition, all teams will receive a budget of 30 hours, that can be used for mentors accredited in the program. Upon request, we may approve additional support on a case-by-case basis.

Most importantly, we are here to support innovators on their entrepreneurial journeys. We do not take equity or attach hidden strings – our purpose is to empower the future generation of green chemistry pioneers.

In addition, we support Inno-Talents relocating to Berlin with practical onboarding. Where needed, we facilitate access to furnished single apartments through our housing partner Berlinovo, helping participants avoid the typical stress of flat hunting in Berlin. For international Inno-Talents, we also provide guidance and support throughout the visa application process, ensuring a smooth start to the program.

No, there is no equity component in the innovate! call, nor any other hidden strings attached. You keep full control of what you have already built and created and what you will build and create in the future. Our funding is 100% philanthropic.

Check our Participation Guidelines here.

Submit your application online by March 15th, 2026; our team will review all entries and shortlist candidates. If you’re shortlisted, you will be invited to pitch to the innovate” call’s Selection Committee on March 26th-27th, 2026, who will then choose the most promising, innovative ideas to receive funding.

While there is no strict team size requirement, we recommend a core team of 2-3 members. Please note that a maximum of three members per team are eligible to receive stipends and participate as active Inno-Talents in the program. If your team is larger, you will need to designate the primary participants before the program begins.

Our mission is to unlock the sustainability potential of green chemistry innovations. That is why the innovate! call exists: to help innovators build successful, impactful businesses. In line with this mission, we act as neutral helpers – we do not impose conditions on intellectual property (IP) and will never become IP owners. Inventors retain full control of their creations. This applies to both existing IP (Background IP) and newly developed IP (Foreground IP). Thus, in general, IP remains the sole property of its creators and does not change hands through the program, unless agreed otherwise by the participants.‍‍

We expect that clear collaboration frameworks are established, if teams or individuals from Track C decide to incorporate IP from Track B or include a new team member from Track A. As a neutral partner, we help everyone articulate their expectations transparently, forming the basis for fair agreements that catalyse green chemistry innovations. We will never become a party to such agreements – they remain solely between the participants involved.‍

Please note that applicable national regulations, such as the German Employee Inventions Act (ArbnErfG), remain in full effect. We will support the direct engagement with any institutional rights holders (such as universities or employers) to secure founder-friendly terms.

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This is a full-time program. Participants must be able to dedicate themselves fully and should not have other major professional obligations for the duration of the program (6 + 6 months).

Inno-Talents are the individuals selected to participate in our validation program – the innovators driving each spinout project. Regardless of the track (A or C), Inno-Talents are the stars of the show.

To guide these teams of Talents, each is paired with an Inno-Director, a senior scientific advisor from any of the Berlin University Alliance’s institutions. Inno-Directors act as strategic mentors, providing technical expertise and helping teams navigate research and development challenges throughout the program.

Inno-Talents are required to secure an Inno-Director for their teams and collaborate with them for the entire program.

Moving to Berlin can be a hassle and, having that in mind, we got in touch with Berlinovo to provide furnished single flats to all Inno-Talents who require it. We promise that you won’t have any stress flat-hunting in Berlin so that you can focus on your spinout from day one.

Besides that, if you require a visa to live in Germany for the duration of the program, we will provide comprehensive support so that you may apply for it.‍

The innovate! call is executed by greenCHEM’s legal entity: innovate! lab gGmbH.

As a philanthropic, non-profit legal vehicle fully owned by the Berlin University Alliance (BUA), we are able to move fast, stay founder-first, and think entrepreneurially. “Founders helping founders”‍ ‍is at the core of everything we do –  innovate! lab gGmbH provides the legal structure to execute with startup agility while staying fully mission-driven.

We are deeply grateful for the philanthropic support of the Joachim Herz Foundation, as well as the Berlin University Alliance’s commitment and courage to establish this legal structure, enabling an agile, founder-first operating model.

Our only goal is to help you build impactful green chemistry ventures. No equity. No hidden obligations. No strings attached.

The innovate! call by greenCHEM is supported by a long-term philanthropic commitment from the Joachim Herz Foundation and executed through innovate! lab gGmbH – a non-profit legal entity fully owned by the Berlin University Alliance (BUA).

This setup ensures a stable, mission-driven foundation: philanthropic funding enables impact-focused action, while the BUA provides the institutional backbone and long-term public-interest alignment.

We do not take equity, do not claim intellectual property, and do not benefit financially from your success. Our incentive is purely mission-driven: accelerate green chemistry innovations, empower the next generation of founders, and unfold impact.

In short: your success is our impact. Period.