Saint-Gobain is a New Strategic Partner of RWTH
RWTH has signed cooperation agreements for joint research and development activities with five companies of the Saint-Gobain Group.
RWTH has now entered into cooperation agreements with five companies of the Saint-Gobain Group, initially for a period of one year: Saint-Gobain Weber GmbH, Saint-Gobain Isover G+H AG, Saint-Gobain Rigips GmbH, Nova by Saint-Gobain, and Saint-Gobain Research Germany.
The new strategic partnership follows previous collaborative projects jointly undertaken by the French Saint-Gobain Group and RWTH Aachen University. It is intended to create synergies and to bring the existing cooperation to another level. RWTH Innovation GmbH will support the group in its function as the University’s research transfer service provider within the new key account partnership.
Saint-Gobain is a globally active group of companies with headquarters in Paris and 171,000 employees in 68 countries. The company develops, produces, and markets materials used in buildings, transportation, infrastructure, and numerous industrial applications. The products are developed to provide comfort, performance and safety while taking into account the requirements of sustainable construction, efficient use of resources, and climate change.
Cooperation on Multiple Levels
In the area of R&D, the company aims to solve technological challenges by drawing on the scientific expertise of University. In addition, spin-outs and start-ups from RWTH are to be brought together with the companies of the group. Furthermore, Saint-Gobain is focusing on open innovation formats with talents from RWTH and in order to further strengthen its brand through the partnership.
To launch the cooperation, a first kick-off event took place in February 2020 on the premises of RWTH Innovation. Representatives from the five Saint-Gobain subsidiaries were present to agree on the first specific projects for the coming months, focusing on areas such as future mobility, novel building materials, recycling of building materials, and the simulation of building physics.
RWTH Innovation is now examining which of the challenges identified by Saint-Gobain can be solved with the help of the University’s ecosystem of talent and resources. Furthermore, RWTH Innovation is organizing a student techathon in November 2020. In addition, technology start-ups from the University which might be possible future collaboration partners for Saint-Gobain are currently being identified.
RWTH Innovation
RWTH Innovation GmbH is a subsidiary of RWTH Aachen University and acts as its key research transfer services unit. It promotes and supports the University’s researchers and inventors throughout the entire innovation process from the idea to the marketable technology.
As part of its services for start-up teams, it offers the support needed to turn innovative ideas into successful business models with the help of its tailored support packages. It provides the University’s industry partners with direct access to RWTH’s research and innovation landscape.