12. May 2025

BioRegions Innovation Award for Sweethoven Biotech BioRegions Innovation Award for Sweethoven Biotech

At the German Biotechnology Days (DBT) 2025, the team led by Dr. Marcel Hövels and Dr. André Neff from the University of Bonn was awarded the BioRegions Innovation Award 2025 for their project “Sweethoven Biotech – Health with Enjoyment.” They are one of three winners of the award, which is endowed with 2,000 euros each.

The Sweethoven Biotech team receives the BioRegions 2025 Innovation Award
The Sweethoven Biotech team receives the BioRegions 2025 Innovation Award © © Sera Z. Kurc & Tolga Cakal
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The innovative project “Sweethoven Biotech – Health with Enjoyment,” developed at the Institute for Microbiology and Biotechnology (IFMB) at the University of Bonn, focuses on biotechnological processes that convert natural sugars into health-promoting alternatives without compromising the sweet taste. The sweet-tasting fiber can replace sugar and offers a real alternative. As a dietary fiber, it is significantly lower in calories and healthier than sugar or conventional sweeteners.

Support from idea to commercialization

The Transfer Center enaCom at the University of Bonn is supporting the spin-off of the start-up project Sweethoven Biotech in collaboration with PROvendis. As the central service provider for technology transfer at universities in North Rhine-Westphalia, PROvendis specializes in intellectual property and property rights issues and their commercialization. The University of Bonn works closely with the PROvendis team on questions relating to intellectual property, optimal protection, and marketing. In this project, PROvendis is particularly involved in securing property rights for the relevant technologies.

An award for innovative research ideas in biotechnology

The Innovation Award is an initiative of the BioRegions Working Group, the central network of regional initiatives for the promotion of the commercial use of modern biotechnologies in Germany. Every year, the working group awards prizes to the three most innovative research ideas in the life sciences. The aim of the award is to strengthen the transfer between science and industry and to promote public interest in biotechnology research. This year, the working group awarded prizes for outstanding research results and inventions with high innovation potential for the 18th time.

The German Biotechnology Days 2025

The German Biotechnology Days took place on April 9–10, 2025, in Heidelberg and were once again a meeting place for entrepreneurs, scientists, and partners from politics, investors, funding institutions, and administration in the German biotechnology industry.

Organizers and winning teams of the Innovation Award at the German Biotechnology Days
Organizers and winning teams of the Innovation Award at the German Biotechnology Days © © Sera Z. Kurc & Tolga Cakal
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