Dr. Marcel Hövels was named the winner of the DATIpilot Innovation Sprint Pitch Competition organized by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and will now have the opportunity to apply for €150,000 in funding. The funds will be used to scale up the production process for a fiber-based sugar alternative and validate it in collaboration with pilot partners. The research project pitched by Dr. Hövels was presented under the acronym “Sweethoven Biotech.”
Addendum: This section has been revised retrospectively because earlier formulations were misleading and could have unintentionally cast doubt on the scientific classification of Dr. Marcel Hövels’ research work. Dr. Hövels’ transfer-oriented research is conducted exclusively within a scientific, pre-competitive context. No economic activities and no company formation have resulted from these research activities. This can be readily verified by consulting the commercial register. Unfortunately, owing to partially imprecise descriptions in press releases concerning the project and in connection with awards received, an incorrect impression has in some cases been created that the project already constitutes an established company. This possible misinterpretation is regretted. It is therefore clarified that the work concerns a scientific, transfer-oriented research project at the pre-competitive stage.