Italian company looking for innovative and sustainable materials and solutions for building flooring, to work in combination with epoxy resins

Summary

An Italian company, active in the ceramics and building industry, has developed high-performing epoxy resins for the flooring of buildings. The company is seeking innovative materials and solutions, preferably TRL 8, that can be combined with the company’s product for floors and building and reduce its environmental impact, under technical cooperation agreement. This request is part of an open innovation challenges programme.

Description

An Italian company with an international presence is specialized in developing innovative, high-performing products for the ceramics and building industry, its headquarters are located in the heart of the Italian ceramics district. The company is present in Italy and abroad, selling a wide range of products: adhesives for floor installations, grouts, sealants, detergents, decorative products, and building solutions.

In recent years, the company has developed decorative epoxy resins for the flooring of buildings. These resins allow the creation of jointless floors with surface continuity. The new resins are non-corrosive and cause no danger of transport. They also come in different colours, materials and textures.

These new products are a valid alternative to the ceramic tiles traditionally used in the building industry, as they have numerous advantages including low environmental impact, antibacterial and anti-virus certification, and allow renovation without the costs and burden of demolition and disposal. However, the market is reluctant to this change from the standard techniques, even if new products come with benefits.

In this context, the Italian company is looking for new sustainable materials and building solutions that can work in synergy with its epoxy resins, to further enhance the sustainability of this product in the eyes of the customer.

The company is interested in collaborating with mature start-ups or scale-ups, under technical cooperation agreement, to co-develop proofs of concept (PoCs) or pilot projects to test and adapt the solution to its epoxy resins.

--- IMPORTANT: This technical cooperation request refers to an open innovation challenges program published on a separate online platform (b2match). If an organization expresses interest before the program closing date, it will be guided towards the open innovation platform.

During registration, interested organizations will be asked to select the challenge that corresponds with this technology request profile. If admitted to the programme, start-ups and scale-ups will benefit from training and will be able to create their (presentation) profile to connect with the companies in order to organize 1to1 matchmaking meetings.

The company will select the organisations that they would like to meet for the development of the solution.

The challenge closes on November the 30th 2021. Once the challenge is closed, expressions of Interest for this technology request will be treated in the traditional way.

Expertise sought

The Italian company is looking for innovative and sustainable materials and solutions for building flooring; the solution should work in synergy with the company’s epoxy resins.

The aim is to enhance the product’s advantages (low environmental impact, antibacterial and anti-virus characteristics, low renovation costs linked to demolition and disposal of building materials).

The solutions proposed should have preferably TRL 8 - actual system completed and "flight qualified" through test and demonstration (ground or space) - but the company is also interested in lower TRL solutions.

Requested Partner

Potential partners are start-ups or scale-ups from any country, with knowledge and/or expertise in sustainable materials and building solutions for flooring, that can be combined with the use of epoxy resins to further reduce the product’s environmental impact and enhance the characteristics of the product.

Start-ups or scale-ups are required to propose innovative ideas and/or solutions for these innovative materials and solutions to be used at the industrial level in the building sector.

Suitable companies are invited to propose their expertise. After being selected, the goal is to co-develop proofs of concept and pilot projects, under technical cooperation agreement.