Apply for the
innovate! call

“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 – international teams (Track C), individuals (Track A and C), and inventors with unexploited patents (Track B) are equally welcome.

Founded companies and institutional applications are not eligible.

For eligibility criteria of each track, please see their respective pages: Track A, Track B and Track C.

The innovate! call is an intensive business and technology validation program specifically designed for the needs of green chemistry innovations. We support the formation of new teams around available, yet unused, intellectual property (IP) and welcome both individuals and ready-made spinout teams with their own technology. 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.

Overall, the selected participants, whom we call “Inno-Talents”, receive philanthropic funding (stipends, material & investment budget), the validation program including comprehensive support, dedicated laboratory space, and expert mentorship. Each team will also find an “Inno-Director”, a scientific advisor of their own choosing from one of the Berlin University Alliance partners, who will support them throughout the program. Inno-Talents are required to secure an Inno-Director for their teams and collaborate with them for the entire program.

The program operates differently across the three distinct Tracks (A, B and C), and we envision strong interplay between them. Entrepreneurial individuals, inventors, and spinout teams are encouraged to come together to unleash the full potential of green chemistry innovations. Please check here for each of the Tracks for detailed information about them.

Yes! The innovate! call awards up to 10 stipends to Inno-Talents. 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.

The stipend’s value 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 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.

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 mission is to support innovators on their entrepreneurial path and to drive the sustainability impact of the green chemistry technologies they believe in.

Please check our Participation Guidelines here

Submit your application online by March 15th, 2026; our team will review all entries and shortlist candidates. Following that, each track follows a distinct selection path. For detailed information about each Track, click here.

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 (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 inventors and Inno-Talents. We expect teams across all tracks to establish clear collaboration frameworks for working with IP submitted by Track B inventors. 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 be a party to these 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.

Inno-Talents are the individuals selected for our validation program – the innovators driving each spinout project. Inno-Talents invest their time and energy to advance both business and technology development. In return for this commitment, they receive stipends and are offered furnished apartments to ease their transition to Berlin. Regardless of the track (A or C), Inno-Talents are the stars of the show.

To guide these teams of Inno-Talents, each team 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.

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.