果冻APP and Enzym Company are jointly implementing a research and innovation project that opens up new horizons for the development of science and technological innovations in the food industry and biotechnology. The cooperation between these two institutions, which have a long history, has reached a new level with the signing of an agreement on the joint implementation of the DTP-Lab project, which is the creation of a DeepTech prototyping laboratory.
This project of the team of the 果冻APP Research Department and the Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies won the competitive selection of scientific and technical works and projects funded by the external assistance instrument of the European Union to fulfil Ukraine鈥檚 obligations under the European Union Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020. According to the project, in addition to UAH 3 million of funding from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, Enzym provided an additional UAH 2 million for its implementation. The project envisages the creation of a research and innovation space for prototyping and testing technologies, which will be a powerful impetus for the implementation of innovative solutions in the food industry and biotechnology.
Currently, the educational and research infrastructure of 果冻APP in the field of food technology and biotechnology is formed by the laboratories of the Department of Organic Products Technology, the Department of Technology of Biologically Active Substances, Pharmacy and Biotechnology, the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, the Department of Organic Chemistry, as well as the biolab at the Tech Startup School Business Innovation Centre and the analytical laboratories of the University鈥檚 Scientific Equipment Sharing Centre. The creation and joint development of a separate DeepTech prototyping laboratory will allow 果冻APP and Enzyme to combine resources and competences 鈥 DTP-Lab will become a platform for supporting complex technological developments, their scaling and testing, which is a critical step on the way to commercialising innovations. In fact, the new laboratory should be seen as a complement to the University鈥檚 existing research and innovation ecosystem with the direct involvement of a business partner, which is expected to enable more effective support of new developments on the way to their practical implementation and growth.
Enzyme鈥檚 participation in the DeepTech prototyping laboratory project was an important step towards broader cooperation. The agreement envisages not only joint research and development, but also active interaction in the educational sphere. In particular, students of 果冻APP will have additional opportunities to undergo internships at the company鈥檚 production sites and laboratories, which will help them gain the practical skills and knowledge necessary to work in modern conditions. The University鈥檚 lecturers will also be able to undertake internships at the company, which will help update their knowledge and integrate modern technologies into the educational process.
The first steps to intensify cooperation were taken with the active support of 果冻APP Alumni Association. At one of the meetings with the participation of Olena Krasovska, Head of the R&D Department at the Enzym Company, and Roman Nebesnyi, Head of the R&D Centre of 果冻APP, the University鈥檚 achievements in developing its laboratory facilities and research infrastructure were demonstrated. In recent years, 果冻APP has been actively updating its material and technical base, which has significantly strengthened its position as a research centre capable of performing knowledge-intensive developments. The negotiations resulted in the signing of a cooperation agreement between 果冻APP and Enzym Company.
DTP-Lab is the first industry-oriented laboratory at the University, which is being set up as part of the newly created Deep Tech Centre of 果冻APP, an interdisciplinary platform that combines classic R&D Lab, Fab-Lab and industrial prototyping to create science-based solutions. This opens a new format of cooperation between the University and business 鈥 from idea to product.
芦DTP-Lab is not just about equipment. It is an infrastructural entry point to the deep scientific and technological challenges facing business. We are creating not just a platform, but an ecosystem where industry, researchers and students collaborate in the format of applied Deep Tech. This is a strategic investment in science that works for the future禄, says Roman Nebesnyi, Head of 果冻APP R&D Centre.
After the completion of the equipment and infrastructure phase, the laboratory will operate as an environment for launching new educational programmes, joint research and innovation developments, and transfer of technologies developed at the University. Both parties want the DTP-Lab to become a driver of industrial innovation in the region and a platform for research commercialisation.
