Empowering Your Journey from Lab to Market. Great ideas need the right environment to grow.
Why join the Materials Lab Incubator? We empower you to focus on what matters most: your Team and your idea. We support your journey with a unique combination of equity-free funding, high-end laboratory access, and personalized business mentoring.
non-dilutive
Funding of €200,000 in non-dilutive capital provides critical support you who want to make the transition to entrepreneurship. This non-dilutive funding allows you to retain their shares in the future company, giving you greater control over the development of your idea. By combining scientific expertise and entrepreneurial know-how, the incubator programme can help to develop innovative solutions that ultimately benefit society.
fully equipped
The laboratory for the transition of your proof of concept to a minimal viable product (MVP) plays a crucial role. Here we help creative ideas to develop from initial concepts into viable prototypes. Through targeted development steps - from molecular biology over fermentation to downstream processing - and comprehensive testing, we ensure that innovative solutions for renewable materials find their way onto the market. Our interdisciplinary team offers both technical expertise and business consulting to maximise the feasibility and market value of your products.
Guidance
Our 1:1 mentoring, coaching and consulting offers customised support to get from idea to product-market fit. Through personalised advice, we help you to refine your visionary concept, develop business models and understand the needs of the market. In our incubator, you benefit from hands-on workshops and personalised feedback to create sustainable solutions that are both economically and ecologically viable. Use our expertise to turn your ideas into marketable products and achieve a positive impact on the environment.
Two Tracks, One Mission: From Science to Business
Innovation is a journey, not a single step. That is why we offer two distinct funding phases tailored to the maturity of your project. Whether you are just validating a pioneering idea or ready to accelerate towards market entry, we provide the equity-free capital, infrastructure, and coaching you need to succeed—without taking a stake in your company.
For Researchers or Teams with a pioneering research idea in sustainable materials (10 Teams / Cohort)
For Scientific Entrepreneuers or Teams with first steps towards market and customer (5 Teams / Cohort)
From Scratch to Prototype
Don't let your research gather dust. Our funding tracks are designed to bridge the gap between academic discovery and a viable business product.
Spark-Fund
What you bring:
• A pioneering idea in sustainable materials at an early stage
• Your research background and team story
• A short project summary: What’s the challenge? What’s your solution?
• The drive to turn research into impact
What you get from us:
• Up to €100,000 in equity-free funding
• Access to state-of-the-art labs and mentoring
• Hands-on workshops and feedback from experts
• A cohort of ambitious fellow innovators
• A chance to pitch to investors and build your prototype
Why join?
Start your journey “from scratch to prototype” and accelerate your science toward realworld solutions!
Warp-Speed-Fund
What you bring:
• A validated concept: Problem-solution fit already shown
• Motivation to reach the market and product-market fit
• Detailed team profile and a comprehensive “reading deck” (19–25 slides: validation, team, MVP, market, plan)
• A financial plan for the next 12 months (Excel format preferred)
• No company yet founded (no market entry during the funding phase)
What you get from us:
• Up to €100,000 equity-free funding
• Intensive coaching to sharpen your MVP
• Investor and industry feedback at every milestone
• Access to full lab infrastructure and regional support
Why join?
Bridge the gap between lab validation and market entry with maximum support—and get
your science into the hands of users!
Your project should demonstrate a high degree of innovation, have a need for laboratory workspace, and focus thematically on Sustainable Materials.
The Spark Fund supports team in a very early phase and lasts 8 months. A promising idea or concept (Proof of Concept) to be validated is sufficient here. The Warp-Speed Fund lasts 12 months and is aimed at advanced projects. A concrete business case, a business plan, and a "reading deck" are expected here, and an investor commitment (e.g., LOI) must be available.
No, this is not mandatory, especially not for the Spark Fund. We address projects that are in an early stage (approx. Technology Readiness Level / TRL 2-3).
No, a Bachelor's degree is sufficient. For us, the personality, motivation, and quality of the idea are decisive, not the academic title.
Yes, international teams are welcome. However, a valid work permit for Germany is required for the team members to be employed.
No, the program is open to anyone with the right idea and the right mindset. Employment is merely administratively handled via RWTH Aachen University for the duration of the project.
If both phases (Spark Fund and Warp-Speed Fund) are successfully completed, a total of up to €200,000 in funding can be acquired over a period of 20 months. The funding is completely "equity-free", meaning you do not have to give up any company shares to the incubator or RWTH.
The funds are not transferred as a lump sum to a bank account. Instead, you will be employed at RWTH Aachen University (personnel costs), and material costs will be procured for you via the incubator's budget. This means: You inform us of your needs, and we trigger the orders for you.
Yes, employment at RWTH Aachen University during the funding period is mandatory. This is necessary to clarify insurance issues and to grant you access to the laboratories and infrastructure.
This may be possible as long as the success of the project in the incubator is ensured. Please note that personnel funds (max. €66,000) must be spent in accordance with the TV-L table.
No, both the application and participation in the program are free of charge.
The process includes the following steps:
1. Formal Review: After the deadline, we check all entries for completeness and formal "fit."
2. Evaluation: A committee of experts (industrial committee) evaluates the content.
3. Pitch: The best teams (Top 15 for Spark Fund / Top 25 for WSF) are invited to a pitch. You have 5 minutes for the presentation and 3 minutes for a Q&A to convince the jury.
4. Decision: The verdict is reached, and you will usually be notified the following week. Detailed selection criteria can also be found in the guidelines on our website.
Since the ideas are often very technical, we recommend: Try to break down your concept so it is understandable for laypeople. Convince not only through technological details but above all through your motivation and the "impact": What problem are you solving? Who benefits from it? What is your concrete offering?
The priority is often in the following order: Team > Motivation > Idea > Market. An excellent team can make even a mediocre idea fly in a difficult market ("pivot"). However, a weak team will likely fail even with a good idea in an easy market.
The application language and the pitches are in English.
Yes, you can apply again. However, it is strongly recommended that you incorporate the feedback from the first round and further develop your concept accordingly.
You can apply with multiple ideas, but only one project per person or team can be funded at the same time.
In addition to the budget, you receive:
Since this is an incubator with a laboratory focus, presence is required – especially for work in the S1-Labs in Baesweiler and at RWTH Aachen University. Some coaching modules may take place online, but the core of the program thrives on on-site exchange.
You should invest at least the time for which you are employed within the scope of the project (usually full-time). However, success depends significantly on your motivation – founding is often more than a "9-to-5" job.
Our mentors are successful serial entrepreneurs, industry executives, and investors. You can state preferences for certain mentors, and we try to take these into account during "matching." However, as our mentors are very busy, we cannot guarantee every request.
Yes, exchange is an important part of the program. There are regular "Get-togethers," "Meet the Founder" events, and workshops to network you with other researchers and founders.
The Materials Lab Incubator team is at your side:
Intellectual property generated during the project period will be transferred to the team in a founder-friendly manner in cooperation with RWTH Innovation.
Since these were not created within the scope of the funding program, the incubator naturally makes no claim to them.
You do not have to give up any shares to the incubator or RWTH as part of this program. However, during the investor pitch at the end of the program (or during it), Venture Capitalists (VCs) may show interest in your company. An investment by third parties would then naturally take place in exchange for company shares – but this is a matter of negotiation between you and the investor.
Ideally, the successful founding of your company (spin-off) follows the Warp-Speed Fund.