Innovation Voucher Bavaria: Success Stories

We promote Bavarian companies with success. Small companies and craft enterprises based in Bavaria have achieved great things with the help of the innovation voucher. The innovation voucher is used to plan, develop and implement new or improved products, production processes or services. The practical examples prove that the tailor-made support program "Innovation Voucher Bavaria" makes it possible to successfully master the path from the idea to the market-ready product. Read exciting success stories and see for yourself!

Support examples

Uplock - the folding lock integrated in the bicycle seat post

The recreational cyclist and employed engineer Ulrich Preß brought the innovative product development of an integrated bicycle folding lock on the way within 3 years. For this he founded the start-up "solos engineering e.K.".

UPLOCK is a folding lock concept that is fully integrated into the bicycle frame. The system consists of two components, the UPLOCK seatpost and the folding lock. The seat post has a special opening mechanism to accommodate the lock inside. The folding lock is made of hardened, high-strength steel, which guarantees maximum security! The UPLOCK system offers a simple, secure and at the same time invisible way of storing the lock.

The implementation of the product idea was carried out by using two R&E service providers from the private sector and a university research institution.  With the help of the Innovation Voucher Standard, these external research and development services could be subsidized by 60%. The developer applied twice for an extension of the deadline, so that the project was successfully completed in January 2021. During the development period, it became apparent that not all work packages were required. For this reason, the applicant submitted a proof of use in the reduced scope of costs.

Currently, the seatposts are offered in diameter 27.2 mm and 31.6 mm. The previous seatpost can be easily exchanged with UPLOCK and of course the existing saddle can still be used.

The market launch of the product will take place from autumn 2022 via online and specialist retailers for the aftermarket. Detailed information on the product can be found on the website www.uplock.de .

Hair care in powder form with the convenience of a conventional shampoo

The company Less Waste Club from Kirchroth in Lower Bavaria develops and sells personal care products in granulated form. These products in powder form not only save on disposable plastic and CO ₂ , but the company also places great emphasis on maximum environmental compatibility when it comes to the ingredients.

Sustainability in the bathroom has the Lower Bavarian company Less Waste Club UG written on the flag

Compared to conventional products, up to 87% CO2 along the entire value chain and at the same time disposable plastic in the packaging area are saved, without having to give up the usual experience in personal hygiene.

With the help of the Innovation Voucher Standard, the development of a powdered shampoo was realized. The goal was to make the shampoo powder usable with the addition of water, like a conventional liquid shampoo, without "tipping" due to the addition of tap water.

To develop a product adapted to the needs of customers, the expertise of a specialized chemical laboratory in the field of personal care was set. The R & D service provider took over the formulation development and also produced initial samples (prototypes) for product testing. The sustainable shampoo was able to be notified in the EU register after finalized development.

Currently, the startup company markets its products via its own online store www.lesswasteclub.de and via selected retail partners.

Development of a hydrostatic device for the impression of a lower leg stump

Long years of international experience keep stimulating the team Simone and Andreas Radspieler for innovations in prosthetics and orthotics. In doing so, they master challenges in research and development.

The "Symphonie Aqua System VC TT" enables the precise and accurate recording of the soft tissues and bony structures of the lower leg stump under full load.

The "Symphonie Aqua System" previously available on the market has shown that the need for a mobile version is indispensable. Essential applications outside the home, such as in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers were always associated with a lot of effort.

The challenge of developing a mobile device was to combine the principles and advantages of the existing stationary system in a compact system and also to allow uncomplicated assembly and disassembly.

The necessary weight reduction could be realized by combining different materials. The outer shell is therefore made of a combination of stainless steel and aluminum, and the internal tanks are made of plastic. The line infrastructure within the system was reduced to a minimum in order to save weight and space.

The product is marketed by the sales company of the Radspieler Center for Mobility, ROMEDIS GmbH. Detailed information about the product can be found on website www.romedis.de/symphonie-aqua-system-vc.html .

The developer and patent holder, the Radspieler Center for Mobility from Neubeuern, was subsidized with an Innovation Voucher Standard in the amount of €14,500 for the external services, development, design and prototype construction used in this project.

Healthy building with the right building materials

The Upper Franconian company Ziegelei Götz e. K. from Reckendorf has been family-owned for more than 170 years. In the course of history, the production and delivery range has changed considerably. If roof tiles were still manufactured in 1850, the company has now focused on the production of hollow bricks, thermoporous bricks, clay and building materials.

Under the brand name "Terra Forma", the brickworks has developed and launched a specially developed clay plaster without additives for outdoor use. So far loam plasters are available in the building material trade only for the interior.

The development step "product tests for quality assurance" was implemented with the help of the innovation voucher Bavaria. Over a period of 8 months, the prototype of the plaster material "Terra Forma" was tested on a test building outdoors. It could be proven that the innovative clay plaster resists driving rain as well as fog, frost and extreme solar radiation. The material was thereby conceived in such a way that it is suitable for usual plastering machines, but can be applied also by hand.

The sales take place in the context of Workshops locally and over the own Onlineshop, www.terra-forma.eu .  To the application the loam plaster comes in particular in the ecological building method, independently of whether it concerns a new building or an old building reorganization.  Clay is a weathering product from the rock layer of our earth, i.e. a mixture of clay minerals with sandy/stony components, which is highly valued by building biologists. It has excellent properties in terms of sound insulation and heat storage, and can be reused without recycling.

Unbreakable transponder on the "intelligent" beverage crate

The Hopf family has been a brewing family since 1853 and produces hand-brewed beer and lemonades in Schönbrunn near Wunsiedel in Upper Franconia. With products under the brand names "Frucade," "Lauser" and "Lang-Bräu," the brewery supplies the regional beverage trade.

Beverage crates with the latest RFID technology to introduce a management system and tie in with Industry 4.0

In the near future, massive changes are coming to the beverage trade, beverage producers and breweries - the introduction of a management system for beverage crates. Currently, electronic logistics is carried out by means of RFID technology, i.e. with a so-called transmitter-receiver system. A transponder (radio label), which is located on or in the object and contains an identifying code, serves as the transmitter, and a reader for reading the identifier serves as the receiver.

To date, these RFID systems have been permanently installed in beverage crates and cannot be replaced. Due to the rough handling of beverage crates, damage often occurs, rendering the transponder unusable. With the help of the Bavarian Innovation Voucher, Lang-Bräu OHG has developed a practical way of integrating and exchanging the transponders. The multilayer structure of the transponder's carrier elements significantly reduces the mechanical stress on the sensors. The stabilization solutions developed can also be applied to conventional beverage crates, thus enabling results to be transferred to other problems. The next step is to prototype the carrier element for the RFID-enabled beverage crates.

Variable cutting protection device on rocker and table circular saws

The medium-sized mechanical engineering company HMG Hess GmbH & Co. KG has specialized in the development and manufacture of modern machines for firewood preparation and has been a supplier to the stationary specialized trade and end users for over 30 years.

The combination of rocker and table circular saw is basically known. However, up to now, it was not possible to safeguard the cutting material intake area when the rocker support was swiveled. To avoid injuries, such a safeguard has become a requirement due to a new safety regulation.

With the help of the Bavarian Innovation Voucher, HMG GmbH & Co. KG has implemented the design and prototype construction of this flexible cutting guard. The innovation enables simple conversion of the saw, combined with high safety.

The Lower Bavarian company markets the product in its online store www.hmg-maschinen.de and through stationary specialist dealers. The machine finds users in private households, forestry operations, agriculture, silviculture, construction and carpentry.