The University of Cologne’s Gateway Excellence Startup Center is celebrating a major milestone with two of its science-based spin-offs showcasing the power of deep-tech transfer at the state-government-led accelerator HIGH-TECH.NRW (Batch #8). After years of close collaboration with our transfer team—during which both teams secured competitive funding and meticulously developed their technologies—PoLightFilters and DyeMera Biosciences took the center stage at the recent Demo Day. PoLightFilters captured first place for their breakthrough, angle-stable thin-film optical filters winning prize worth €10,000, while DyeMera Biosciences impressed the audience with LipoFLUDDY, a real-time lipid metabolism imaging technology for advanced drug discovery. These achievements underscore the immense motivation, effort, and resilience required by our researchers to bring cutting-edge materials science and biomedical chemistry out of the laboratory and into the market. We congratulate both founding teams and look forward to continuing our support as they scale their global-impact innovations.

Photos: High-Tech.NRW