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Collaboration Catalyst Program

Joint initiative of ZEISS and KIT

The Collaboration Catalyst Program of ZEISS and KIT aims at strengthening and intensifying the strategic partnership and fostering research-oriented industry-academia cooperation by addressing the broader research community at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). For this purpose, a fund has been created to finance seed projects in fields of interest of KIT and ZEISS.
Each year, the focus area of the call will address applications of one of the four segments of the ZEISS Group, related to KIT research focus.

Facts & Scope

  • Establishing new long-term collaborations between ZEISS and KIT

  • Program funds seed-projects with new partners, that not have collaborated before

  • Fund size: 300 k€ / year - with 100 k€ for max. 3 projects each

  • Project duration: 12 month

  • Call for proposal is published in specific subject areas once a year, addressing one ZEISS segment per year

  • Joint evaluation of proposals by a scientific committee (experts from ZEISS and the KIT)

Focus Areas

The present call is initiated in collaboration with Carl Zeiss Vision GmbH and targets technologies and innovations for spectacles. The call concentrates on research areas of shared interest between ZEISS and KIT, specifically targeting the production and enhancement of ophthalmic lenses.
Glasses are getting cleaned with a cloth. The image is a close up of two hands holding the glasses.

Ophthalmic Coatings

Advanced Coatings:
- Coating technologies with enhanced optical properties, like reduced reflectivity and easy-to-clean features.
- Innovative application methods for ophthalmic coatings with improved properties.
- Advanced analytical and measurement tools for assessing the quality and performance of optical coatings.
- Disruptive technologies enabling on ophthalmic surfaces with improved cleanability, optical performance, and scratch resistance.

Blue granulated material is spread out on a white surface. A glass tube lies on it's side, partially filled with granules.

Lens Materials

Advanced Lens Materials:
- Novel materials with enhanced optical properties for ophthalmic lenses.
Simulation and experimental techniques for evaluating material properties.

Sustainable Lenses:
- Development of sustainable ophthalmic lens materials, treatment materials and methods for recycling lenses and manufacturing waste.

A rendering of a tool mechanically shaping a lens.

Lens Shaping

Manufacturing Technologies:
- Advanced surfacing techniques for faster and more efficient production of ophthalmic lenses.
- Simulations to enhance understanding of manufacturing process steps.

Project Selection Process

  • Preferred projects are feasibility investigations in preparation of larger long-term research projects. Although the ZEISS fund is reserved to KIT, the project may include external partners if needed. External partners’ activity will not be funded directly by the ZEISS fund.

    The proposal should include the following elements:

    • The topic proposed for the specific call.
    • The expected outcomes of the Project.
    • The expected timeline/duration and possible milestones.
    • The estimated budget (calculated for contract research).
    • The KIT researchers and research groups involved with a clearly identified KIT researcher as the PI and possible additional external partners, if any.

  • Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

    • Fit to the call topics
    • Scientific quality
    • Relevance of the problem for application
    • Prospect of proposal (realistic plan, likelihood of collaboration and potential follow-up

  • The submission process following the Calls for Proposal will be a two-step process that includes an exchange between the principal investigator (PI) and the scientific committee (SC):
    1) Informal submission of a first project idea (500 – 1000 characters) to the Scientific committee with a rough outline of the project idea and scope.
    2) Pre-selection of ten proposals by the Scientific committee that will be invited to the expert round table at the ZEISS Innovation Hub @ KIT. The expert round table will consist of the Scientific Committee, ZEISS experts and PIs and aims to sharpen and discuss the proposed projects goals.
    3) Submission of proposals using a dedicated short template. The proposals will then be discussed during a meeting of the Scientific Committee.
    4) Once the winning proposal(s) has(ve) been selected by the Scientific Committee, a specific contract (contract research) according to the Framework Agreement between ZEISS and the KIT will be prepared for approval by both parties. The contract has to be finalized and signed from both parties until 30th June 2026.
    5) The project must start before 31st August 2026

  • The Scientific Committee consists of each 4 permanent representatives of KIT and Zeiss, according to the topic additional committee members might be appointed.

    The role of the SC is to:
    • Launch the Call for Proposals, typically once a year
    • Evaluate, suggest changes to and select the projects to be funded by ZEISS
    • Follow-up of the research results and advice for potential continuation.
Outside view of the KIT building in Karlsruhe, where the Zeiss Innovation Hub is located. The building is made up of large windows and a bright white facade with sharp angles dividing the three stories.

Timeline

01 September 2025: Publication of the call for Proposals

24 October 2025: Submission deadline letter of intent  (send to CoCat@zeiss.com)

20 November 2025: Expert round table – ZEISS Innovation Hub @ KIT

16 January 2026: Deadline for the submission of proposals (send to CoCat@zeiss.com)

30 January 2026: Information on decisions by the Scientific Committee

Call for Submission

Due date is October 24, 2025

Send us your project idea (500 - 1000 characters) until October 24. We will get back to you as fast as possible.1

Call for proposals
General contact ZEISS Sophia Schmitt

CoCat@zeiss.com

General Contact KIT Innovation and Relations Management

https://www.techtransfer.kit.edu/english/team.php

Impressions from previous calls

  • People are viewing a presentation given by another person on a small stage.
  • View of the audience made up mostly of men, attending a presentation. Most of the attendees are wearing white and blue button-down shirts and dark blue jeans.

Collaboration Catalyst 2024

In 2024, the Collaboration Catalyst Call for Proposals addressed challenges and topics from the ZEISS Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (SMT) department, focusing on the area of lithography optics technologies. Covering several research fields of mutual interest between ZEISS and the KIT with applications in process technologies in optics manufacturing, optics- / electronics- & Mechanical Design we received many interesting project ideas. The following three projects received funding for the project period 2024/2025.

Funded Projects 2024/2025

  • Scanning Probe Lithography as a deposition technique / Prof. Dr. Aghassi-Hagmann & PD Dr. Dr. Hirtz, Institute for Nanotechnology (INT)
  • Thermal performance of cooled components / Prof. Dr. Wetzel Dr. Dietrich, Institute of Thermal Process Engineering (TVT)
  • Rarefied multi-compent flows in EUV Systems / Prof. Giegerich, Dr. Tantos, Institute for Technical Physics (ITEP)
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