News

Helmholtz Tech & Industry Day 2026: Bridging Top-Tier Research, Industry, and Politics

February 13, 2026

How does cutting-edge research make its way into industrial application? On June 9, 2026, the innovation platforms Hi-Acts and Solar TAP invite you to the DESY campus in Hamburg to explore exactly this interface. The event provides a platform for exchange with high-level stakeholders from science, industry, and politics.

The focus will be on practical insights into successful innovation partnerships and networking within the fields of Deep Tech, AI, Big Data, and energy technology. It is an ideal opportunity to gather information on-site and establish new professional contacts:

• Information & Transfer: Practical insights into partnerships between research and industry.
• Networking: An opportunity to engage with representatives from industry and politics regarding current trends and demands.
• Deep Dive: On the following day (June 10), the 3rd Hi-Acts Network Meeting offers the chance to strengthen cross-disciplinary collaboration within the research network.

Registration will open shortly.

DLR Spin-off Nunos Brings Space Technology to the Field

January 16, 2026

Founded in 2024, Nunos—a spin-off from the German Aerospace Center (DLR)—has developed a process that converts liquid manure into a more efficient, odourless fertiliser within 24 hours. The approach significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions such as methane and ammonia while making nutrients more readily available for plants. The underlying system was originally designed for space applications, enabling the biological conversion of human urine into fertiliser for soilless cultivation on space stations. Initial plant trials indicate potential yield increases of up to 20 percent, which Nunos plans to validate in field tests on two farms in 2026. The German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) is supporting the company with €125,000 to further assess environmental impacts and optimise the process.

For the Helmholtz Association, support for the project is a strong sign of the effectiveness of its transfer instruments: Citrapeutics already received Helmholtz Enterprise spin-off funding in 2023, which has significantly advanced the establishment of the spin-off and the further development of the technology. We congratulate them on this success.

IBT Lower Saxony provides €1.4 million in funding for HZI spin-off Citrapeutics

November 21, 2025

The Institute for Biomedical Translation (IBT) Lower Saxony is supporting the Helmholtz spin-off Citrapeutics from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig with €1.4 million. The spin-off is developing a novel oral immunotherapy against cancer, focusing on an innovative drug approach that aims to offer patients a complementary option to existing immunotherapies. The focus is on the drug candidate Citra01, which will be further optimized and developed for clinical application as part of the funding.

Citrapeutics impressed at the fifth IBT portfolio conference in Braunschweig and was selected from seven project teams from leading research institutions in Lower Saxony. The funding will enable research results to be quickly translated into market-oriented innovations and pave the way for the subsequent establishment of a company – an important step in the successful transfer of technology from the HZI.

For the Helmholtz Association, support for the project is a strong sign of the effectiveness of its transfer instruments: Citrapeutics already received Helmholtz Enterprise spin-off funding in 2023, which has significantly advanced the establishment of the spin-off and the further development of the technology. We congratulate them on this success.

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Captain T Cell secures €20 million to advance next development stage

November 17, 2025

Captain T Cell, a spin-off from the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, has successfully closed a €20 million financing round. The biotechnology company develops next-generation TCR-T cell therapies for the treatment of solid tumors – an area with significant unmet medical need. With the new funding, the company will advance its lead program CTC127 into a Phase I clinical trial led by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and conducted across several major cancer centers in Germany.

For Helmholtz, this financing marks an important milestone: it highlights how cutting-edge research at MDC is being successfully translated into real-world medical innovation. The spin-off process was supported by Ascenion, MDC’s technology transfer partner, enabling the transition from scientific discovery to clinical application. The strong commitment of both new and existing investors – including Springboard Health Angels, Pluton Asset Holding AG, and i&i Biotech Fund – underscores the high potential of Captain T Cell’s platform. In addition, the company is advancing a first-in-class allogeneic TCR-T platform with promising preclinical results, further demonstrating the innovative strength of the Helmholtz ecosystem.

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