Over 0.5 million euro for partnerships between SMEs and science

26 May 2009

Two partnership projects between SMEs and science shall together receive about 650,000 euro from the IBOS programme (Integration of Biosynthesis and Organic Synthesis). IBOS has now invested more than 2.2 million euro in eleven SME projects in the area of biological and organic synthesis. This initiative is a unique form of public-private partnership.

The project subsidies can be used to fund postdoc researchers for a maximum of two years. The contribution from the partner company (one-third of the total investment) is mainly in kind, for example, man-hours, equipment and materials, enzymes, cultures et cetera.

In their partnership, Prof. M.W. Fraaije (University of Groningen) and Enzyscreen BV shall search for a way to efficiently extend the shelf-life of potatoes. Potatoes would have a longer shelf-life if they did not germinate. (+) Carvone is a substance that can prevent this. It can be extracted from D-limonene, which is the most important constituent of orange skins. These are released as a waste product during the production of orange juice. The researchers shall develop a bacteria that can convert this D-limonene into (+)carvone in an environmentally friendly manner. Using a bioreactor of 100 to 200 cubic metres in size, it shall in future be possible to produce hundreds of tonnes of (+)carvone each year. and with this to increase the shelf-life of potatoes.

Dr L.H. de Graaff (Wageningen University and Research Centre) and ProteoNic BV are going to improve the fungus Aspergillus niger in order to realise a higher and more cost-effective production of protein. Many industrial processes make use of fungi that produce proteins, which in turn trigger certain biochemical reactions. Companies are looking for proteins that can be produced in very large quantities at the lowest possible price.

About IBOS

The programme IBOS (2003-2012) combines organic chemistry or biochemistry and biotechnology in order to realise a faster, more efficient and more sustainable production process for fine chemical products such as food products and medicines. Particular attention is paid to the development of new products and processes in small and medium-sized enterprises. Accordingly since 2007, four subsidy rounds specifically for the SME have been held, the last of which has now been completed. A total of 11 SME projects have been initiated with a total investment of more than 2.2 million euro. The first results are expected in 2010.

Partners

The IBOS programme is carried out with the support of the NWO Division of Chemical Sciences, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and SME businesses from the chemistry and life sciences sectors. NWO-ACTS is the official secretary of the programme. ACTS is the acronym for Advanced Catalytic Technology for Sustainability, and within NWO it is the platform for public-private partnership within the field of chemistry.

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last modified on 7 April 2010