Based on a joint and interdisciplinary research cooperation between industry and academia the Cluster BIOCATALYSIS2021 – Sustainable Biocatalysis Opening New Paths, supported by the BMBF, is pursuing the goal of researching systematically the enormous potential of industrially relevant biocatalysts from micro-organisms as to their possible application in industry. To achieve that goal the Cluster combines the unique expert knowledge of the academic sector in five Federal States of Northern Germany with the economic and innovative power of globally operating companies throughout the Federal Republic of Germany.

The primary goals of the Cluster are the use and application of new biocatalysts achieving novel synthetic effects by subjecting them to unconventional conditions (extreme temperatures, pressures, pH values, concentrations of salt and solvents). The enzyme systems are to be used both as final products and in subsequent processes for the production of fine chemicals and active agents. This is complemented by the development of an innovative process technology under unconventional conditions.

BIOCATALYSIS2021 is Winner of the Cluster Competition BioIndustry 2021 initiated by the German
Federal Ministry for Research and Education (BMBF).