Global chemical giant contributing industrial-scale materials expertise, process optimization, and regulatory toxicology across 43 H2020 projects in 37 countries.
BASF is the world's largest chemical company, headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany. In H2020, they contribute industrial-scale chemical process expertise, advanced materials development, and toxicology/risk assessment capabilities to research consortia. They serve as an industry bridge — translating academic research in areas like graphene, polymer chemistry, and bio-based materials into commercially viable products and processes. They also actively host early-stage researchers through multiple Marie Skłodowska-Curie training networks, investing in the next generation of chemical engineers and materials scientists.
Sustained participation in Graphene Flagship (GrapheneCore1, GrapheneCore2), plus projects on aerogels (NanoHybrids), organic electronics (iSwitch, UHMob, MOSTOPHOS), and granular materials (MatheGram).
Coordinated PRODIAS (largest budget at EUR 2.8M) and RECOBA on batch process control; participated in CONSENS, SAMT, PRONTO for process industry sustainability.
Major roles in EU-ToxRisk (flagship toxicity testing), GRACIOUS (nanomaterial risk grouping), PATROLS (nanomaterial hazard), ERGO (endocrine disruptors), and eTRANSAFE (drug safety).
Participated in GreenSolRes (lignocellulosic solvents), PEFerence (bio-based polyesters), SUSPOL (sustainable polymers), EmPowerPutida (synthetic biology), and Sport Infinity (waste-based production).
Partner or participant in six MSCA training networks including TRACKWAY, BioSmartTrainee, PlaMatSu, CHARMING, EVOdrops, and SynFoNY — hosting doctoral researchers in industrial settings.
Partner in EVOdrops (2018-2023) on droplet microfluidics for directed evolution and large library screening — a newer direction combining biology with microsystems.
In the early H2020 period (2015–2017), BASF focused heavily on chemical process optimization (PRODIAS, RECOBA, CONSENS) and began building its toxicology and risk assessment portfolio (EU-ToxRisk). From 2018 onward, their emphasis shifted decisively toward advanced functional materials — particularly graphene and organic electronics — while adding new threads in protein engineering, computational materials modelling (ReaxPro), and immersive learning. The toxicology work continued but broadened from systems toxicology into regulatory frameworks for nanomaterials and endocrine disruptors.
BASF is moving from traditional chemical process R&D toward digitally-enabled materials discovery and bio-inspired engineering, making them an increasingly relevant partner for projects at the chemistry-biology-digital intersection.
BASF overwhelmingly participates rather than leads — coordinating only 3 of 43 projects, while joining 32 as a participant and 8 as third party or partner. This is typical for large industrial companies that contribute domain expertise, testing infrastructure, and market validation rather than driving the research agenda. With 639 unique consortium partners across 37 countries, they are a massive network hub, making them valuable not just for their own capabilities but for the connections they bring to any consortium.
BASF has collaborated with 639 distinct partners across 37 countries, making them one of the most connected industrial participants in H2020. Their reach spans virtually all of Europe plus international partners, with particularly strong ties in chemical engineering and materials science communities.
BASF brings something few partners can: the ability to test and validate research outputs at genuine industrial scale, backed by one of the world's largest chemical production infrastructures. Their dual strength in both materials science and regulatory toxicology means they can help a consortium develop a new material AND navigate the safety assessment needed to bring it to market. For consortium builders, BASF's name on a proposal signals industrial credibility and a clear path from lab to factory.
