From Idea to Impact: The 5 Hi-Acts Challenges for the Innovation Challenge Arena

Challenge #1: Rethinking Membrane-Free Electrolysis

Short Description:

How can we develop cost-effective, efficient, and robust membrane-free electrolyzers? We are looking for innovative design approaches that enable the safe separation of hydrogen and oxygen while combining efficiency, scalability, and ease of manufacturing.

Rethinking Membrane-Free Electrolysis – Shaping the Future of Hydrogen Technology Together

Affordable hydrogen technologies have the potential to improve access to sustainable energy worldwide. At the same time, many of today’s electrolysis systems remain too complex and costly for a wide range of applications.

As part of the 3rd Hi-Acts Network Meeting, we invite researchers, innovators, and industry representatives to work together on a key challenge:

Rethinking Membrane-Free Electrolysis

The goal is to develop new approaches and technological solutions for the next generation of hydrogen production. Key focus areas include:

• Safe gas separation without the use of membranes
• Improved ion mobility and higher efficiency
• Designs suitable for additive manufacturing
• Robust and cost-effective production concepts
• Decentralized hydrogen applications for small-scale use

This challenge provides an opportunity to develop scalable solutions with high industrial relevance and societal impact—from European markets to applications in the Global South.

The detailed scope of the challenge will be shaped during the network meeting in close collaboration with experts from science, engineering, and industry. The aim is to bring together diverse perspectives and identify new innovation pathways.

Objective & Benefits:
The objective is to develop a simple, additively manufacturable electrolyzer design with high efficiency and low production costs. The solution should particularly open up new markets in the Global South as well as decentralized applications for households and small organizations.

Contact:
Dr. Dirk Klugmann

Challenge Champion:
Anna Anochin

Challenge #2: From Research Software to an Industrial Game Changer

Short Description:
How can highly precise simulation software from particle physics be transformed into a scalable industrial product or service? This challenge addresses the industrial application of simulation and optimization tools for sensors, radiation detectors, and complex measurement systems.

From Research to Industry – Software with Transformative Potential

What opportunities arise when advanced research software from particle physics is made available for industrial applications?

As part of the 3rd Hi-Acts Network Meeting, experts from science, industry, and entrepreneurship will come together to address a central innovation question:

Establishing Research Software as a Driver of Industrial Innovation

Specialized simulation software originally developed for the design and optimization of particle detectors offers significant potential for numerous industrial application areas. The goal of this challenge is to identify pathways for transforming these technologies into market-ready products and services.

Potential application areas include:

• Development of semiconductor and sensor systems
• Optimization of radiation detectors
• Advanced measurement and analysis systems
• Industrial simulation and development processes
• Data-driven engineering and optimization applications

The focus is on jointly developing transfer strategies, business models, and commercialization approaches that enable the transition from scientific software solutions to industrial applications.

This challenge is aimed at researchers, software developers, start-ups, innovation managers, semiconductor industry professionals, and technology transfer experts. Together, participants will explore new perspectives for the economic utilization of scientific software and develop concrete approaches for transferring these technologies into industry.

Objective & Benefits:
The objective is to develop sustainable business models and transfer strategies for scientific software. The focus is on market validation, industrial applications, and scaling research expertise into commercial solutions.

Contact:
Paul Schütze

Challenge Champion:
Tina Grüning

Challenge #3: Intelligent High-Throughput Measurements Without Downtime

Short Description:
How can high-throughput measurements at synchrotron facilities be made significantly more efficient? The challenge seeks a software-driven solution for the intelligent coordination of measurement processes and sample changes in order to drastically reduce idle times.

Minimizing Downtime – Making Synchrotron Measurements More Efficient

Synchrotron sources generate enormous amounts of high-quality measurement data and are an indispensable infrastructure for research and development. However, time-consuming sample changes and interrupted workflows often result in unused measurement time and the loss of valuable resources.

As part of the 3rd Hi-Acts Network Meeting, researchers, engineers, and industry representatives are invited to work together on a forward-looking challenge:

Synchrotron Measurements Without Downtime

The goal of the challenge is to develop innovative solutions that make measurement processes more efficient and maximize the utilization of available beamtime. The focus is on technologies and concepts for continuous, highly automated measurement operations.

Potential topic areas include:

• Intelligent coordination and control of measurement workflows
• Fast and automated sample exchange
• Continuous data acquisition for high-throughput applications
• Integrated hardware and software solutions
• Scalable concepts for future synchrotron applications

Starting from a pilot use case in powder diffraction, solutions should be developed that can also be transferred to other measurement methods, such as protein crystallography.

This challenge is aimed at experts in automation technology, beamline technologies, software development, robotics, data acquisition, and high-throughput measurement systems. Together, participants will develop new approaches to make measurement processes more efficient, flexible, and powerful.

Objective & Benefits:
The objective is to develop an integrated hardware and software approach for rapid sample exchange and continuous data acquisition. The pilot application in powder diffraction should later be transferable to other measurement methods such as protein crystallography.

Contact:
Bernd Hinrichsen

Challenge Champion:
Johannes Blum

Challenge #4: Photon-Counting Detectors for the Industry of the Future

Short Description:
How can the full potential of photon-counting Lambda detectors be unlocked for industrial applications? This challenge focuses on faster, more precise, and more material-efficient inspection processes with significantly reduced radiation doses.

Photon-Counting Detectors for the Industry of Tomorrow

Industrial inspection and imaging systems face increasing demands for precision, speed, and material preservation. New detector technologies emerging from research offer promising opportunities for the next generation of industrial applications.

As part of the 3rd Hi-Acts Network Meeting, researchers, industry representatives, and technology innovators are invited to work together on a key future challenge:

Photon-Counting Detectors for the Industry of Tomorrow

Photon-counting Lambda detectors, originally developed for demanding research applications, offer significant potential for industrial use—from semiconductor inspection and high-resolution imaging to non-destructive testing.

The challenge focuses on new approaches for:

• High-resolution industrial imaging
• Faster and more precise inspection systems
• Reduced radiation exposure and lower material stress
• Innovative applications in semiconductor technology
• Next-generation detector systems and architectures

The objective is to accelerate the transfer of state-of-the-art detector technologies from research infrastructures into market-ready industrial solutions. Together, participants will identify new application areas, address technological barriers, and develop pathways toward successful industrialization.

This challenge is aimed at experts in imaging technologies, the semiconductor industry, industrial inspection, detector development, advanced manufacturing, and deep-tech innovation. By bringing together different perspectives, innovative concepts with tangible market potential can emerge.

Objective & Benefits:
The objective is to transfer detector technologies from the research environment into industrial applications. To achieve this, industry partners are sought who are interested in advancing new system architectures, semiconductor applications, and high-resolution imaging.

Contact:
Jonas Warias Johannes Hagemann

Challenge Champion:
Dr. Marc Thiry

Challenge #5: Standardized Beamline Measurements for Greater Efficiency and Reproducibility

Short Description:
How can we make recurring beamline measurements faster, more efficient, and more reproducible? We are looking for innovative approaches to standardized experimental control, interoperable data formats, and consistent workflows that reduce effort between beamtimes and improve the long-term comparability of measurement results.

Rethinking Standardized Beamline Measurements – Working Together to Improve Efficiency and Reproducibility

Modern synchrotron beamlines are continuously evolving to meet a wide range of scientific and industrial requirements. While this flexibility enables innovation and new applications, it often increases the effort required for recurring measurements.

As part of the 3rd Hi-Acts Network Meeting, we invite researchers, industry representatives, and technology experts to collaborate on a key challenge for modern research infrastructures:

Standardized Beamline Measurements for Greater Efficiency and Reproducibility

The focus areas include:

• Standardized processes for experimental control
• Consistent and interoperable data formats
• Reduced setup and adaptation effort between beamtimes
• Improved comparability of measurement results across different measurement campaigns
• More efficient use of valuable beamtime resources

This challenge offers the opportunity to develop new concepts for reproducible and scalable measurement workflows that provide significant benefits for both scientific users and industrial partners.

The detailed challenge scope will be further developed during the network meeting in close collaboration with experts from research, digitalization, automation, and data management. The goal is to bring together different perspectives and identify innovative approaches for more efficient and reproducible beamline workflows.

Objective & Benefits:

The objective is to develop standardized measurement and data workflows that reduce the effort required for configuration, calibration, and data processing. This will enable experiments to be carried out more efficiently, results to be reproduced more reliably, and long-term comparable measurement programs to be established for both science and industry.

Contact:
Peter Gaal, TX Products

Challenge Champion:
Sonia Utermann

Register now and apply to join the Hi-Acts 3^rd Network Meeting: https://indico.desy.de/event/52529/page/5820-agenda-3rd-hi-acts-network-meeting