Dusseldorf finds itself firmly located in the beating heart of the chemicals industry in Germany - North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). NRW is the innovation and chemicals production hub propelling the county to its number one spot in Europe. Approximately one-third of all German chemical industry sales are generated in NRW, which solidifies the state’s position as the cornerstone of chemical innovation within the country. A key focus of the chemicals sector in NRW lies in pioneering research and development aimed at addressing the rising demand for sustainable and advanced materials. This sector encompasses a spectrum of players, including chemical companies, materials manufacturers, suppliers and R&D firms, which collectively drive forward the industry’s transformation towards greenhouse gas neutrality. NRW boasts a diverse research landscape, fostering expertise across critical domains such as the development of flexible chemical methods for efficient bacteria detection and the creation of environmentally friendly flame retardants for thermoplastics. Interdisciplinary research centers like CeNTech are hard at work to make such innovations a reality and collaborate with entities like the Nano-Bioanalytics Center to harness the commercial potential of nanotechnology. CeNTech, established in 2003, exists to be the point where university research meets traditional technology centers. It offers cutting-edge infrastructure and state-of-the-art laboratories to SMEs and startups, which leverage these resources to embark on joint research ventures and accelerate their innovation journey. But conventional R&D is only the first step! The Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI CEC) in Mülheim an der Ruhr has set its sights higher and launched several initiatives. Through partnerships with RWTH Aachen University, MPI CEC founded the Cooperation Platform for Spin-off Potential in Sustainable Chemistry (KOALA), facilitating the transition of laboratory innovations into market-ready prototypes. KOALA’s role in nurturing startups within the chemistry and new materials domain cannot be understated!