On July 1, 2025, the winners of this year's NEULAND innovation competition were announced as part of the NEULAND Knowledge Week. Three innovative projects were selected from the numerous submissions in the Idea Prize category and were awarded prize money donated by industry. In the Technology Transfer Award category, the winning team received prize money of €10,000.
The annual NEULAND innovation competition gives scientists at KIT the opportunity to present their promising research projects to an expert jury from industry. The jury evaluates the submissions in terms of their innovation potential and selects the winning teams. Prizes are awarded in two categories: the Idea Prize and the Technology Transfer Prize. The latter was reinstated after a one-year break and restructuring in 2025. Following the award, the winning projects will be actively supported by KIT's innovation management on their way to marketable application.
We congratulate the teams on their outstanding achievements and wish them every success in the further development and implementation of their ideas.
First place in this year's Ideas Award goes to the ReacTUNE team. M.Sc. Mertcan Kaya (2nd from left) and Prof. Dr. Christoph Klahn (2nd from right) accept the prize from Axel Weisheit (KIT Foundation) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth (Vice President Transfer and International Affairs at KIT).
1st place “ReacTUNE: Automated reactor design for the industry of tomorrow”
ReacTUNE is an innovative software tool for the automated design of reactor geometries in chemical process engineering. The solution reduces the previous design effort from several months to just 45 minutes and generates ready-to-use 3D print files. The software combines computer-aided design with numerical simulation, opening up new possibilities for the efficient, application-oriented development of complex reactor structures, even for users without in-depth specialist knowledge. Already successfully tested in methanol synthesis, the team is currently planning the expansion of the software and a spin-off.
Award winners: M.Sc. Mertcan Kaya, Prof. Dr. Christoph Klahn
Second place went to the team “Hybrid extrusion printing: structured meat substitute from the 3D printer”. In the picture from left to right: Dr. Nikolai Gauss (Bürkert Foundation), Nico Leister, Laurids Pernice (both BLT-LVT) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth (Vice President Transfer and International Affairs at KIT).
2nd place “Hybrid extrusion printing: structured meat substitutes from the 3D printer”
The hybrid extrusion printing project opens up new avenues in the production of plant-based meat alternatives. The process combines industrial extrusion with the precision of 3D printing to produce textured products such as plant-based steak or schnitzel. This innovative technology allows the targeted reproduction of meat-like textures and offers a sustainable solution to the increasing demand for alternative protein sources.
Award winners: Markus Fischer, Dr. Nico Leister, Laurids Pernice
Institute of Bio- and Food Process Engineering (BLT, LVT)
The CeraMMAM project team secured third place on the podium in the Ideas Award 2025 category. Pictured from left to right: Christopher Knight (BW Bank), Johannes Schubert, Chantal-Liv Lehmann, Prof. Dr. Frederik Zanger (all from wbk) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth (Vice President Transfer and International Affairs at KIT).
3rd place “CeraMMAM: Multi-material ceramics for high-tech applications”
With the CeraMMAM project, the team at the wbk Institute of Production Engineering has developed an innovative binder system for the additive manufacturing of multi-material ceramics. This enables maximum precision and opens up new fields of application in medicine, mechanical engineering and aerospace. The approach offers great potential for the production of complex, functionally graded ceramic components.
Prizewinners: Chantal-Liv Lehmann, Johannes Schubert, Prof. Dr. Frederik Zanger
Dr. Robin Größle (2nd from right) from the project team “Micro-Raman system for the detection of all six hydrogen isotopologues” and David Jakob (2nd from left) from the industrial partner Smolsys ltd. from Switzerland accept the prize money for first place technology transfer from Dr. Hanns-Günther Mayer (KIT Campus Transfer GmbH).
Technology transfer prize for tritium analysis
The “Micro-Raman system for the detection of hydrogen isotopologues” project was awarded the transfer prize. The system was developed at the Institute of Astroparticle Physics together with the industrial partner smolsys ltd. from Switzerland. It is used for the precise analysis of hydrogen isotopes and is intended for future use in tritium monitoring in fusion reactors and in heavy water analysis.
Prizewinners: Dr. Robin Größle, Dr. Alexander Marsteller, Dr. Florian Priester
Institute for Astroparticle Physics (IAP) - Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe (TLK), company partner: smolsys ltd. Switzerland
Our sincere thanks go to the dedicated jury members and the companies whose support made the Innovation Contest 2025 possible.
Supported by: KIT Foundation
In cooperation with: KIT Campus Transfer GmbH (KCT), Schleicher Foundation, Christian Bürkert Foundation, BW Bank
Images: KIT / Sandra Göttisheim
Images
First place in this year's Ideas Award goes to the ReacTUNE team. M.Sc. Mertcan Kaya (2nd from left) and Prof. Dr. Christoph Klahn (2nd from right) accept the prize from Axel Weisheit (KIT Foundation) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth (Vice President Transfer and International Affairs at KIT).
Second place went to the team “Hybrid extrusion printing: structured meat substitute from the 3D printer”. In the picture from left to right: Dr. Nikolai Gauss (Bürkert Foundation), Nico Leister, Laurids Pernice (both BLT-LVT) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth (Vice President Transfer and International Affairs at KIT).
The CeraMMAM project team secured third place on the podium in the Ideas Award 2025 category. Pictured from left to right: Christopher Knight (BW Bank), Johannes Schubert, Chantal-Liv Lehmann, Prof. Dr. Frederik Zanger (all from wbk) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth (Vice President Transfer and International Affairs at KIT).
Dr. Robin Größle (2nd from right) from the project team “Micro-Raman system for the detection of all six hydrogen isotopologues” and David Jakob (2nd from left) from the industrial partner Smolsys ltd. from Switzerland accept the prize money for first place technology transfer from Dr. Hanns-Günther Mayer (KIT Campus Transfer GmbH).
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Topics
Technology Transfer
Technology Transfer Project
NEULAND
Innovation Project
Innovation Contest
Reactor design
Meat alternative
Binder system
Tritium monitoring
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