INNOEXC GMBH

Their core work

InnoExc is a Zurich-based innovation consultancy that helps transfer research results from EU-funded projects into market-ready applications. They contribute innovation management, exploitation strategy, and training expertise to consortia working on bio-based materials, sustainable packaging, and circular economy technologies. More recently, they have expanded into doctoral training and open science programme design, helping research institutions build transferable skills curricula and career tracking systems for early-career researchers.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

InnoExc began in 2016-2019 firmly rooted in circular economy and resource recovery — wastewater treatment, bioresource extraction, and advanced materials (nanocomposites for energy storage). From 2019 onward, their portfolio split in two directions: they continued in sustainable materials through biodegradable packaging, while simultaneously pivoting into research training and open science (doctoral skills, open educational resources, career tracking). This dual track suggests a deliberate expansion from pure technology exploitation support into broader research ecosystem services.

InnoExc is moving from technical exploitation support toward research skills development and open science — potential partners should expect strength in innovation training, knowledge transfer, and programme design alongside their materials expertise.

How they like to work

InnoExc operates exclusively as a consortium participant, never leading projects, which is consistent with a consultancy providing cross-cutting services (innovation management, training, exploitation) to technically-led consortia. With 103 unique partners across 24 countries in just 6 projects, they join large, diverse consortia rather than working in small focused teams. This broad network and non-repeating partner base suggests they are sought after for their specific support function rather than being tied to a fixed research group.

Extensive network of 103 partners spanning 24 countries, built through participation in large consortia. Their reach covers most of the EU and associated countries, with no obvious geographic concentration beyond their Swiss base.

What sets them apart

InnoExc occupies an unusual niche: a Swiss SME that bridges hard technical domains (bio-based materials, circular economy) with soft innovation services (exploitation strategy, researcher training, open science). This combination makes them valuable to consortia that need both domain understanding and dedicated support for dissemination, training, or market uptake work packages. Their ability to operate across very different project types — from wastewater plant revamping to PhD programme design — signals adaptability that few specialist firms can match.

Highlights from their portfolio

• USABLE PACKAGING
  Their largest funded project (EUR 398K) — biodegradable packaging is a high-commercial-potential topic where InnoExc likely played a significant exploitation or market analysis role.
• SMART-Plant
  Four-year Innovation Action on scaling up bioresource recovery from wastewater — their earliest and longest-running H2020 engagement, foundational to their circular economy expertise.
• DocEnhance
  Marks their strategic pivot into researcher training and open science, a completely different domain from their materials portfolio, signaling deliberate diversification.