{"id":8807,"date":"2025-06-19T18:38:26","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T22:38:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.asminternational.org\/edfas\/nine-innovation-projects-in-materials-science-for-sustainability-receive-proof-of-concept-grants\/"},"modified":"2025-06-19T22:39:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T22:39:35","slug":"nine-innovation-projects-in-materials-science-for-sustainability-receive-proof-of-concept-grants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.asminternational.org\/edfas\/nine-innovation-projects-in-materials-science-for-sustainability-receive-proof-of-concept-grants\/","title":{"rendered":"Nine innovation projects in materials science for sustainability receive proof-of-concept Grants"},"content":{"rendered":"

Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the WISE research program, Sweden, have launched a Proof-of-Concept Grant program with the purpose to bridge the gap from academic research to innovations in materials science for sustainability.<\/p>\n

The grant gives researchers the opportunity to develop their early-stage discoveries towards validated methods, products or processes and provides the opportunity to conduct activities that validate and accelerate the development of the project towards validated innovations and eventual commercialization.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdvanced materials are a key to reach a sustainable society. To boost the implementation and deployment of new materials for a circular economy and crucial energy technologies, it is important that research results are translated into innovations that enable fast upscaling to make impact. The granted KAW-PoC projects provide a fast and significant route towards sustainability,\u201d says Magnus Berggren.<\/p>\n

Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation awarded the first Proof-of-Concept grants in 2017. In 2019, the Wallenberg Launch Pad, WALP, platform was created. Researchers who have or have had grants from the Foundation can apply to WALP with their ideas. Researchers who progress through the process will receive support and coaching within WALP.<\/p>\n

Overall, a total of 115 Proof-of-Concept grants have been granted since 2017, this call included.<\/p>\n

\u201cProof-of-concept grants make it possible for research funded by the Foundation to also lead to innovations and jobs by bridging the gap between academic research and the possibility of commercialization. This is also fully in line with the Foundation\u2019s purpose of being beneficial to Sweden. The grants are awarded to the researcher\u2019s host university and must comply with the university\u2019s regulations,\u201d says Sara Mazur, executive director, Knut and Alice Wallenberg. This was the first round of the Proof-of-Concept program for materials science for sustainability. A second call will open on September 1 with the application deadline on October 15, 2025.<\/p>\n

The projects that have been granted funding will receive between one and four million SEK each over a project period of a maximum of two years. In addition to funding, the project leaders will receive continued support from the Wallenberg Launch Pad, WALP, team to develop their innovations to commercial maturity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are very excited and grateful for the grant which will allow us to mature our nanomaterial technology towards commercialization. We will now address challenges in up-scaling of the synthesis and the development of high-performance demonstrators, which will be crucial for approaching future customers within the printed sustainable electronics segment,\u201d says Klas Tybrandt, Professor of Material Science at Link\u00f6ping University.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are honored and grateful to receive this support, which helps advance sustainable innovation. The proof-of-concept funding allows us to accelerate the development of biobased wood adhesives that reduce reliance on fossil-derived materials, valorize underutilized industrial sidestreams, and enable more efficient use of wood resources \u2013 thereby promoting the transition to a circular economy,\u201d says Eva Malmstr\u00f6m Jonsson, Professor Coating Technology at KTH, Royal Institute of Technology.<\/p>\n

The following proof-of-concept grants were awarded in the 2024 call.<\/p>\n