All bachelor and master students from an university of applied sciences or university in Baden-Württemberg who would like to write a project, bachelor or master thesis with a bioeconomy-related topic in a company. All international students are explicitly invited to apply.

Unfortunately, applications for a group work is not possible, we can only support individual applications directly. There can only be one applicant who has to submit a project work or a final report after the project is finished. If this individual project is integrated into a group work, an application is possible.

No, BioPartnerBW does not fund startup companies.

Before students can submit an application, they should independently find a supervisor at their university of applied sciences or university as well as a supervisor at the company where they would like to write their bachelor, master or project thesis. For the application, a trilateral supervision agreement between students and the above-mentioned supervisors is necessary. The application will then be reviewed by our management board. If the project is accepted, students will receive an approval letter. The application form is available for download on our homepage. You can find potential partner companies here.

The trilateral supervision agreement is a document that attests to the fact that the student will conduct their research in a company and already has a supervisor at their university of applied sciences or university. All three parties must sign the trilateral supervision agreement and it will be submitted along with the application. The form is available as a download on the homepage.

The maximum funding amount is 5.000€ per funded student research project. From this, costs such as travel expenses, material costs for consumables, laboratory equipment, personal protective equipment or salaries for a student assistant position for the duration of the research work can be paid.

The funding of the student project takes place within the framework of a reimbursement of expenses. This means that both students and companies can submit collected invoices and receipts (originals) for expenses within the scope of the student project to us (on a monthly basis) and have the expenses reimbursed.

Costs for third parties can be covered. Example: for the use of a specific analyser, a trained person is required to operate the analyser. If an invoice for the personnel costs is available, the expenses can be reimbursed. Costs for externally performed data evaluations can also be reimbursed.

Assets of more than 250 € net (tools, (IT) equipment, software licenses, laboratory equipment, protective clothing, machines, etc.), which are purchased directly with funding for the student project, are the property of the University of Hohenheim and will be inventoried. In this case, the project management must be immediately provided with all necessary original documents of the acquisition of such an asset so that the inventory can be initiated. After completion of the student project, these assets acquired with project funding must be transferred to the University of Hohenheim without delay.

In order for the assets to remain in the possession of the company after the end of the student project, the company can purchase the economic goods with its own funds and invoice them to the student as loan equipment over the duration of the project. This invoicing can be a monthly rental fee over the duration of the student project. Again, all receipts (proof of rental fees paid by the student/company, loan equipment contracts, etc.) must be submitted to the project management in order to be reimbursed for any expenses.

Student projects focusing on lignocellulose and hardwoods will be given priority for funding. Applications for funding of projects focusing on the food sector will be considered.

No, the company in which the student research work is carried out does not necessarily have to be located in Baden-Württemberg.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide assistance in finding a partner company. However, we have compiled a list of companies interested in potential collaborations. We are also going to host host matchmaking events in the future to bring students and companies together. The next event will happen on 24 November 2021. You can apply here.

BioPartnerBW does not claim any project data or intellectual property. This aspect should be agreed upon in advance with the partner company and the supervising person at the university of applied sciences or university, respectively.