CZS Prototypes: Knowledge and Technology Transfer in the Field of Resource Efficiency

Goals

The funding programme is intended to help universities transform scientific research findings into prototypes. The objective is to raise the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) from TRL 4 or TRL 5 to a higher TRL. This corresponds to the transfer of validated components in the laboratory to a usable prototype.. The goal is to prove the technical feasibility or functional capability of a novel technology. The funding explicitly includes software prototypes.
The prototype must be used at the institution beyond the project. Therefore, a concept for further use (knowledge transfer) or exploitation (technology transfer) should be developed as part of the funding.

The focus is on resource efficiency

The call for proposals is limited to the Carl Zeiss Foundation’s priority topic ‘Resource Efficiency’. Applications in the field of resource and energy efficiency are eligible for funding. Applications must be related to the creation of a comprehensive closed-loop economy. For example, projects are eligible for funding, if they address the consideration of durable designs, maintenance, repair, reuse, remanufacturing, refurbishing and recycling in the innovation process. Applications regarding water and land consumption are excluded.

What are the application requirement specifications?

• The requested funds are intended for the creation of a prototype based on the findings of previous research projects. The goal is to demonstrate the viability of a new technology.
• The prototype contributes to the more efficient use of natural resources or energy.
• The project is based in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
• The objective is to raise the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) from TRL 4 or TRL 5 to a higher TRL. Projects whose preliminary work has a TRL of TRL 3 or lower or TRL 6 or higher are not eligible for funding.

Who is eligible to apply?

CZS Prototypes is a new pilot funding programme of the Carl Zeiss Foundation (‘Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung’). The call for proposals is therefore initially only addressed to a limited group of higher education institutions:

• in Baden-Württemberg: Freiburg University, Stuttgart University, Aalen University
• in Rhineland-Palatinate: University of Mainz, TU Kaiserslautern, Trier University of Applied Sciences
• in Thuringia: University of Jena, TU Ilmenau, Jena University of Applied Sciences

Downloads (only available in German)

Duration

The funding period is twelve months. The earliest possible project start date is 1 July 2022 and must be completed by no later than 1 October 2022.