Evonik has transformed its strategic research and development division into an agile innovation unit.

It focuses on combinatorial innovation and integrates internal technological expertise with the external innovation ecosystem.

It prioritizes the development and industrialization of technologies such as biopolymers and rhamnolipids.

Evonik Industries recently announced the restructuring of its strategic research and development division and the launch of the Evonik Innovation Factory. Operating with an entrepreneurial development model, this new innovation unit will accelerate the transformation of technological breakthroughs into industrial applications. Replacing the former strategic R&D division Creavis, it drives innovation centered on speed, market orientation and application relevance.

Christian Eilbracht, Chief Innovation Officer of Evonik, stated that the company is reshaping its innovation system to significantly shorten the cycle from research and development to product launch. The Innovation Factory demonstrates Evonik’s commitment to translating excellent scientific research into tangible industrial progress and creating value for both the company and its customers.

A core mechanism of the new division sets clear time requirements: each project needs to advance innovative technologies to a stage ready for handover to business lines for operation and production within an average timeframe of five years. Axel Kobus, Head of Evonik Innovation Factory, noted that the unit operates under a clear principle of building a new engine for the future. To achieve this goal, Evonik closely integrates its in-house technological expertise with external innovation momentum from academia, startup ecosystems and industrial partners. This integration creates more resilient solutions in both technological and commercial dimensions, which can generate direct industrial value and meet real market demands.

In terms of innovation directions, the Innovation Factory focuses on fields where Evonik has established advantages and customers have urgent demands for new solutions. Rhamnolipids, as high-performance and eco-friendly biosurfactants, are already applied in cosmetics and cleaning products and hold broader application potential. Evonik will continue to make efforts in this area: it will develop a new generation of biopolymer portfolios that can replace fossil-based raw materials, and advance the research and development of anion exchange membranes (AEM), a technology expected to play a key role in the green hydrogen economy.

As an important part of Evonik’s global R&D strategy, the Innovation Factory further strengthens the company’s layout within the world’s leading innovation ecosystems, including the Cambridge Life Sciences Innovation Hub in Boston, USA, the Bioprocess Solutions Center in Singapore, and the membrane material innovation center in Shanghai, China. These innovation layouts jointly form a network covering relevant markets and innovation ecosystems, helping Evonik acquire new technologies, attract talents and expand partnerships.