Submit your innovation challenge for the CCU FWD Challenge
Carbon Capture & Utilization (CCU) is set to play a crucial role in creating a circular, future-proof chemical industry. In the Northern Netherlands, the Chemport Innovation Centre (CIC) is accelerating the development and scaling of CCU technologies. In autumn 2025, Chemport Europe is launching the CCU FWD Challenge: connecting organizations with CO₂-related challenges to cutting-edge solution providers from across the globe. Therefore we’re now looking for real-world CCU challenges from businesses within our region.
Sounds familiar? That’s because it is.
The CCU FWD Challenge builds on the success of the Sustainable Industry Challenge, where companies like Teijin Aramid, BASF, Nobian, and RWE brought forward their innovation challenges — leading to exciting collaborations with international tech providers. The CCU FWD Challenge follows the same proven model, this time with a dedicated focus on CCU: a field full of urgency, momentum, and economic opportunity.
What do we mean by a ‘challenge’?
A challenge is a specific technology or process bottleneck your company is facing — something that’s holding you back from advancing your CCU ambitions. Such as:
- CO₂ capture: How can we capture CO₂ more efficiently and cost-effectively?
- Utilization: How can we turn captured CO₂ into valuable products or feedstocks?
- Energy integration: How do we smartly link CCU processes to renewable energy sources?
- Scaling: What is needed to take promising lab technologies into real-world application?
You don’t need to know the answer — just the problem. ChallengeBase will scout the market for you, identifying startups, scale-ups, and tech innovators that can deliver working, scalable solutions.
Who can submit a challenge?
Any company affiliated with Chemport Europe, or active in CCU, chemicals, energy or manufacturing in the Northern Netherlands.
What happens after you submit a challenge?
We’ll first schedule an introductory meeting to better understand the context, scope and urgency of your challenge. Together, we form a team from within your organisation — people with the right technical knowledge and day-to-day insight. In a focused session, we dive deeper into the issue and shape a clear, actionable challenge that highlights both the problem and the potential for innovation.
From there, we take care of the rest — publishing your challenge, scouting globally, and approaching the most promising partners. You’ll be supported throughout the process, from formulating your challenge to exploring matches and planning the next steps.
The goal? To help you move forward with real, workable solutions.
Why participate as a company?
- Bring your CCU challenge to an international stage;
- Access a large network of forward-thinking solution providers;
- Gain visibility at the CCU Summit on October 2, 2025, where all selected challenges will be officially launched;
- Take the first step toward partnerships that turn bottlenecks into breakthroughs.
Innovation thrives on collaboration. By opening up your challenge, you not only accelerate your own ambitions — you also help new technologies gain traction through real-world application.
Ready to get involved?
Do you have a challenge related to CCU? Submit it by July 19, 2025, and help shape the circular, future-proof chemical industry.
Contact Fleur Mulder via info@challengebase.nl for more information.
About this initiative
The CCU FWD Challenge is an initiative by Chemport Europe, organized in partnership with ChallengeBase — the driving force behind open innovation in Northern Netherlands. From early-stage scoping to implementation, ChallengeBase connects industrial challenges to the right solutions through its international network of startups, scale-ups and tech developers.
Learn more: www.challengebase.nl
Contact Soraya Ludema