ISC3 and Brightlands join forces to support Sustainable Chemistry Start-ups

The Innovation Hub of the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3) and Brightlands Chemelot Innovation Center (BCIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding as a first step towards a future partnership. As a part of their cooperation, they intend to expand each other’s networks, strengthening efforts in finding the most promising sustainable chemistry start-ups globally and providing joint support to these companies. The agreement was signed during the 4th European Chemistry Partnering, 27 February 2020 in Frankfurt (a.M.)/Germany.

a group of four men smiling at the camera
Agreement on future cooperation: (f.l.t.r.): Huib Adriaans, Hugo Delissen (both Brightlands Innovation Factory); Alexis Bazzanella and Nils Decker (both ISC3).

The ISC3 Innovation Hub is part of the ISC3, an international centre promoting and developing sustainable chemistry solutions worldwide. The Innovation Hub launched the ISC3 Global Start-up Service (GSS) in 2018, the first programme worldwide providing holistic support to sustainable chemistry changemakers. In order to help sustainability-oriented start-ups transforming the chemistry and related industries, the ISC3 builds a network of like-minded partners to help innovators succeed.

BCIC is the entrepreneurial heart of the Brightlands Chemelot Campus, which is part of one of Europe’s largest industrial chemical sites. It’s a new organisation in which large and small companies, start-ups, students, and scientific institutions collaborate to build innovations and sustainable solutions around the circular economy and digitization.

Alexis Bazzanella, co-director of the ISC3 Innovation Hub, said: "We are very glad to partner-up with BCIC. Working jointly with such an experienced player in the European chemistry-related start-up scene will certainly enrich our partnership portfolio. It is now our task to spread the word on Sustainable Chemistry in the European start-up communities and beyond."

Patrick van der Meer, director of the Brightlands Chemelot Innovation Center, is looking forward to starting up this collaboration: "Being part of the global network of ISC3 provides us access to an even larger pool of sustainable chemistry start-ups who are shaping the future of the industry. We’d like to open up the Brightlands ecosystem to these entrepreneurs and help them accelerate their growth."