Materials | Your Preferred Partner | MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology

The way we work

Knowledge, experience, facilities, infrastructure, funding and regional, national and international networks. In a nutshell, this describes all the main strengths our current activities have to offer. We help our partners in several ways, which can vary from a simple brainstorm session to a complete one stop-shop experience in which we work together from the first idea to the market launch of a solution or publication of joint research.

Ultimately, our mission is to be the preferred academic partner for public private partnerships in materials R&D in Europe.

We are able to offer the following advantages:

A wealth of research and technology expertise
Several different research groups at the UT are able to address all main aspects of Smart Materials. For the development of integral solutions, they are able to address both technological (mechanics, electronics, sensing, control, actuation, human-machine-interaction, materials) and nontechnological aspects (ethical, legal, economic, business and social issues dealing with smart materials when introducing them in daily life). Primary application areas lay within the health sector, manufacturing, ict and sustainability.
One stop-shop for research, development and testing
For the development and testing of the next generation of smart materials, the UT and its partners have all the building blocks available for unique integrated research, development and test facilities. These include the in-house research labs to outdoor and field-testing facilities. The Fraunhofer Project Center can play an important role as well in the development of our activities.
Support for start-ups and product launches
The UT combines scientific excellence for the development of the next generation in smart materials with a keen eye for knowledge valorization and social applications. Because of the entrepreneurial spirit and the available support mechanisms, research results move out of the laboratory into the marketplace. The UT also has a strong business position based on the business and innovation eco-system of Novel-T and its partners such as the Venture Capital investment company Cottonwood (with one of their four focal markets for investments being advanced materials).
Access to European networks
The science and technology of materials is part of European Key Enabling Technologies (KETs). These are investments and technologies that will allow European industries to retain competitiveness and capitalise on new markets. The Industrial Technologies Programme (NMP) focuses on four KETs: nanotechnologies, advanced materials, and advanced manufacturing and processing (production technologies) and biotechnology.

In partnership with industry, the EU will also invest in research and innovation for Energy-efficient buildings, Factories of the Future, and Sustainable Process Industries (SPIRE). Industry is pledging further private investment in the technologies. The aim is to increase the competitiveness and energy efficiency of the construction sector, to increase sustainability of production processes and make the process industry more resource- and energy efficient. In this way, the private and public sectors will boost Europe’s industrial leadership, while responding to Europe’s concerns to create jobs, and address problems of energy and resource efficiency. It is expected that materials will be key in many projects and initiatives in H2020 and beyond.