Types of collaboration

Collaboration can focus on DLR technologies, developments or testing or on idea development. DLR partnerships also take many forms, from collaboration projects, contracted research and joint projects to innovation partnerships, use of DLR research infrastructure, licensing and participation in DLR start-ups.

Contract research, collaboration projects and joint projects provide a framework for carrying out research and development tasks that address specific questions, either in conjunction with companies or other organisations or at their instigation.

The use of research infrastructures enables industry to join DLR in testing developments and technologies in over 180 facilities, some of which are unique in the world, in order to create new products, processes and services.

Intellectual property rights and licences are mechanisms for granting companies and organisations access to intellectual property, including DLR’s technologies and knowledge. In this way, innovative products and services can be developed and put on the market.

Transfer projects are a way of validating technologies in readiness for their market launch. This process enables DLR’s industry partners to play a part in transferring technologies from research to the market. Validated research findings and development outcomes can then be used by the industry partner under a licensing agreement, for instance.

In innovation partnerships, research and industry work together to prepare future technologies and pave the way for their implementation so that companies can market the resulting products, services and processes.

DLR fosters the formation of start-ups. DLR’s technologies can be used as a basis for converting research findings into specific, marketable applications. Budding start-ups develop products and services and introduce them to the market, thus contributing to the innovative excellence of German industry.

In the DLR.INNOVATIONHUB, DLR and industry share and develop ideas for collaboration. OPENDLR.IDEASPACE is a digital platform supporting the exchange of ideas and inspiration.

DLR’s innovation labs bring science and industry together, with the aim of implementing technologies with great future potential in a fast and efficient way. Innovation labs are physical places where scientific expertise meets the needs of industry and its customers. Forged from this union are ‘enabling spaces’ in which ideas are tested and industry partners are involved in joint development projects.