Corporate Spotlight Interview: Sabic

March 28, 2013 12:03 PM EST By: Jennifer Rocha

Dr. Hans Kolnaar, Managing Director SABIC Ventures, tells TechConnect about Sabic's technology and investment areas of interest.
Sabic
Hans Kolnaar

What technology/solution areas do you have a primary interest in?

SABIC is constantly seeking innovative solutions that contribute to the growth of our customers as they work to solve the ever-evolving challenges and needs of the global industries they serve.  In line with global megatrends such as climate change, emission reduction, and the rapid increase in the global population leading to a sharp increase in food and energy consumption, we strive to drive even greater innovation by leveraging unconventional feedstocks, realizing new light weighting options, and developing new reliable materials supporting the progress of the alternative energy sector.  Our work not only enables our customers to grow, but also enables us to improve the quality of life globally amongst others by reducing environmental impact and being able to do more with less.

Could you provide an example of a successful partnership between SABIC and a start up company or university?  What made the partnership a success? 

For SABIC a key element of a successful partnership is sharing a common ambition. Our partners are equally committed to address global industry trends via game-changing solutions.  A great example of this is our recent investment in Segetis, a technology-enabled green chemistry company that will support our ambition to develop products that will allow our customers to have less impact on the environment.  Another is our investment in Vitriflex, a leading developer of high-performance barrier films for solar panels and flexible electronics.  This collaboration will enable SABIC to help address the global need for alternative energy.

How does SABIC encourage innovation?

Innovation at SABIC is a culture that touches all areas of our value chain globally.  Whether it is in our technology, customer service offerings, our manufacturing or development processes, innovation at SABIC goes beyond our products. This is evident through SABIC’s 17 state of the art technology and innovation centers spanning across the globe that continue to grow with four additional centers to be launched this year. SABIC also encourages innovation by investing in and collaborate with academic programs that promote innovation. Recently, SABIC has signed five collaboration agreements with lead institutions in the US, UK, China, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany to be able not only to find ways to deliver better, cheaper products faster, but also to be able to contribute solutions to global challenges.

As a Corporate Accelerator Partner at TechConnect, what will you be looking for in Washington, D.C. this May?  Who will you be looking to meet with onsite?

We look forward to meeting start-up companies and investors who share our ambitions of solving some of the world’s greatest challenges and who dare to challenge the status-quo. We are looking to meet and build relationships with innovators who see SABIC as the ideal partner to help take their innovations to the next level.

 

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