VEREIN ZUR FORDERUNG DES TECHNOLOGIETRANSFERS AN DER HOCHSCHULE BREMERHAVEN EV

Their core work

TTZ Bremerhaven is a technology transfer centre linked to Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, specializing in applied research at the intersection of food science, aquaculture, and environmental engineering. They develop practical solutions for food supply chains — from waste reduction and novel protein sources to wastewater reuse in agriculture. Their work bridges laboratory research and market application, with particular strength in bioconversion technologies, water treatment systems, and sustainable aquaculture feed and production methods.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

TTZ's early H2020 work (2015–2018) centred on food market economics, supply chain decision support, and green chemistry — pragmatic, industry-oriented projects focused on competitiveness and consumer behaviour. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward sustainable protein sources, aquaculture systems (IMTA, macroalgae, sea urchins), and circular food systems including urban food resilience. The water-environment thread has been consistent throughout, evolving from basic wastewater reuse toward broader nature-based solutions and EU-India cooperation.

TTZ is converging on circular bio-economy — expect future work combining aquaculture, alternative proteins, and waste-stream valorisation into integrated food production systems.

How they like to work

TTZ operates predominantly as a contributing partner (9 of 11 projects), joining established consortia rather than leading them. Their two coordinator roles (US4GREENCHEM, PAVITR) show they can lead when the topic aligns tightly with their core competence. With 192 unique partners across 38 countries, they are well-networked generalists who bring applied technology transfer capability to diverse teams — a reliable mid-consortium workhorse rather than a flagship leader.

TTZ has built an extensive network of 192 unique consortium partners spanning 38 countries, reflecting genuinely global reach that extends well beyond Europe — notably including India through the PAVITR project. Their partnerships are broadly distributed rather than concentrated around a few repeat collaborators.

What sets them apart

TTZ sits at a rare intersection: they combine food technology, aquaculture, and water/environmental engineering under one roof, all oriented toward practical technology transfer rather than pure research. Their affiliation with Bremerhaven — a major German fishing and frozen-food port city — gives them direct access to seafood industry networks that most research centres lack. For consortium builders, TTZ fills the applied-research gap between university labs and industrial partners, especially in projects needing pilot-scale demonstration of bio-based or circular food technologies.

Highlights from their portfolio

• US4GREENCHEM
  One of two projects TTZ coordinated, with their second-largest budget (EUR 618K), demonstrating leadership in bioconversion of lignocellulosic feedstock — a core competence.
• SOCRATCES
  Their highest single-project funding (EUR 694K) in solar energy storage — an outlier from their food/water focus, suggesting deeper materials science or thermal engineering capabilities than their profile initially suggests.
• NextGenProteins
  Major budget (EUR 670K) in alternative proteins from microalgae, insects, and single cell sources — positions TTZ at the centre of the EU's future food security agenda.