Innovation from the laboratory
The idea of producing a new substitute for conventional sugar arose from Dr. Hövel's research in the working group of Prof. Dr. Uwe Deppenmeier at the IFMB, where he is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher. “The use of our fiber-based sugar alternative could reduce the number of sugar-related diseases without harming the environment,” says Marcel Hövels, explaining the added value of the product. This is extremely important, especially in a society where the number of diabetes cases is continuously rising. “Thanks to the BMBF funding, we are able to produce larger quantities of our sweet fiber and validate it in product tests together with food manufacturers,” explains Dr. Hövels.
Visit from a member of the German Bundestag
To mark the start of the funding, Ye-One Rhie, a member of the German Bundestag's Committee on Education, Research, and Technology Assessment, visited the team at the University of Bonn. She learned about the novel process and discussed its strengths and potential, as well as possible challenges and ways to optimize the innovation.
Support from the Transfer Center enaCom
“We have been supporting Sweethoven Biotech from the very beginning. In recent years, there has been close consultation and intensive exchange between our start-up advisory service and the team. The innovation potential and social added value of the product are enormous – as demonstrated by the DATI funding that has now been secured,” says Sandra Speer, head of the Transfer Center enaCom.
The Sweethoven Biotech team got together at an enaCom Start-up Summer School and immediately won the University of Bonn's ideas competition. With a successfully acquired prototyping grant, they then had the funds to develop a first prototype of their healthy sugar alternative. For product development, the team has been using the co-working labs at the University of Bonn since 2023, which are provided by the Transfer Center enaCom for start-up teams.
About the DATIpilot innovation sprints
In the “innovation sprints,” scientists can test or further develop a concrete, creative transfer or innovation idea. Funding is available for a maximum of 18 months and provides space for translating research results into concrete applications. Projects that work on solutions to the challenges of our time and aim to create added value for society are particularly eligible for funding. The Sweethoven Biotech project was selected as one of 300 projects from 3,000 applications submitted. The innovation sprints are funded as part of the DATIpilot measure by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
