About nova
As an internationally recognised think tank, nova-Institute has specialised in defossilisation and renewable carbon. We are a team of excellent professionals who are passionate about providing in-depth analyses and advice. In particular, nova supports clients in chemicals, plastics and materials industries with the transition from fossil to renewable carbon from biomass, direct CO2 utilisation and recycling.
We are active both in international innovation projects as well as in individual, science-based consulting. A multidisciplinary team of scientists at nova deals with the entire range of topics from renewable raw materials, technologies, markets, economy, policy framework, life cycle assessments and sustainability to communication, target groups and strategy development. That is how our experts from various disciplines work together on the defossilisation of the industry and for a climate-neutral future.
Michael Carus
CEO & Founder
Linda Engel
COO
What we do
As the world undergoes significant transformations, we are confronted with major challenges, and climate change is a pivotal factor. Now more than ever, it is imperative to make substantial reductions in CO2 emissions. While the energy sector can be decarbonised via renewable energies, the chemical and materials industries will always need carbon as a feedstock. The equivalent to decarbonisation in this sector therefore hinges on the transition to renewable carbon. Both strategies lead to defossilisation of these key industries.
Currently 90% of the embedded carbon in chemicals and materials originate from fossil carbon in the ground. This urgently needs to be changed. In this context, sustainability emerges as the key to success. The future of the chemical and materials industry requires sourcing carbon feedstocks exclusively from the atmosphere, biosphere and technosphere, ensuring carbon remains inherently renewable and part of sustainable carbon cycles. This is the path to a circular economy. And these are the topics we support our clients with.
Our approach
At nova, we bring our unique expertise to help your business make the transition to a climate-neutral future. Our focus areas include feedstocks, technologies, the intersection of economy and policy, sustainability, communications and strategy development. For this goal nova’s departments – technology & markets, economy & policy, sustainability, communications and the office of the Renewable Carbon Initiative – work closely and in an interdisciplinary approach to provide science-based advice to navigate your journey towards more sustainability.
Whether you look for in-house workshops, comprehensive reports, Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), technology and market research, policy screening or communication plans – nova’s experts thrive on digging deep and delivering solutions. Rest assured that we can help you with the most commonly asked questions: What are the future challenges, environmental benefits and successful strategies to substitute fossil carbon with biomass, direct CO2 use and recycling? What are the most promising concepts and applications for reducing CO2 emissions? How can we become more sustainable?
Join the network
Welcome to nova’s vast networking opportunities. As a dynamic research institute dedicated to providing comprehensive solutions for the chemicals and materials sector, we have excellent contacts with various national and international stakeholders when it comes to topics like renewable carbon, sustainability or circular economy. To further connect the dots, over the years we have developed several ways for our clients and partners to benefit from our large network. Some of them include paid services, such as sponsoring, exhibition or advertising, but just as many opportunities are for free.
First and foremost there are four prestigious nova conferences and several webinars, called nova sessions, that you can attend. If you want to promote your company to the network check out our business directory of Renewable Carbon Companies, which currently lists 140 companies and averages 30,000 downloads per year. In addition, nova publishes several newsletters, including the daily Renewable Carbon News and the monthly nova newsletter. You are welcome to subscribe! Or join nova’s LinkedIn community to stay up to date. Finally, consider partnering with the Renewable Carbon Initiative, which offers the most comprehensive form of engagement.
Find out more about our huge variety of networking events.
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A team of exceptional experts
nova’s experts represent a wide range of backgrounds, including materials science, policy, economics, chemistry, biology, environmental science, biotechnology, physics and communications. This gives nova a unique understanding of the bio-based, circular and renewable carbon economy.
Dusica Banduka
Project Manager
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 173 899 39 47
Dissemination · Communication · Press
Michael Carus
CEO & Founder
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 (0)2233 - 460 14 00
Carbon Economy · Markets & Strategies · Sustainability & Policy
Svenja Dahl
Project Manager
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 160 - 222 1441
Dissemination · Press · Social Media
Lara Dammer
Head of Economy & Policy
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 175 - 267 66 69
Policy & Strategy · Circular Economy · Labelling & Certification
Niels de Beus
Expert
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 175 - 7241616
Life Cycle Assessment · Sustainability · Biotechnology
Linda Engel
COO
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 151 - 19 52 47 31
Strategic Development · Public Relations · Renewable Carbon Initiative
Stefanie Fulda
Head of Communications
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 173 51 25 740
Communication · Dissemination · PR Consulting
Nicolas Hark
Senior Specialist
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 175 620 94 08
Policy & Strategy · Circular Economy · Macroeconomics
Jörn Harrandt
Project Manager
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 173 3038451
Renewable Carbon Initiative · Scientific Research · Data Analyst
Ferdinand Kähler
Expert
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 (0)2233 - 460 14 00
Life Cycle Assessments · Sustainability · Carbon Economy
Andreas Kesenheimer
Head of IT
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 173 38 250 99
Server Systems & Virtualisation · Network & Security · IT Architecture
Vanessa Kleinpeter
Office Manager
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 170 - 59 59 647
Conferences · Organisation · Office Management
Lars Krause
Senior Expert
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 170-8518476
Technology & Markets · Carbon Economy · Chemical Recycling
Verena Kuhlmann
Project Manager
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 152 388 688 76
Dissemination · Communication · Project Management
Jutta Millich
Senior Relationship Manager
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 (0)2233 - 460 14 00
Conference Partnering · Communication
Kristijan Mrsic
Project Manager
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 174 7649376
Dissemination · Press · Social Media
Guido Müller
Key Account Manager
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 151 - 414 230 19
Conference Sponsorships
Asta Partanen
Senior Expert
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 151 111 301 28
Bio-based Materials · Wood · Cellulose & Natural Fibres · Labelling & Marketing
Mika Plum
Expert
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 1522 99 72 052
Life Cycle Assessment · Circular Economy · Plastics and Fibers
Narendar Raju Poranki
Market Researcher
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 174 6930466
Technology & Markets · Market Research · Technology Scouting
Olaf Porc
Senior Specialist
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 172 45 84 836
Techno-economic Evaluation · Data Analysis · Renewable Feedstocks
Luciano Proto Cassina
Specialist
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 174-78 66 215
Policy and Strategy · Techno-economic evaluation · Macroeconomics
Ángel Puente
Senior Expert
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 175 - 602 76 03
LCA & Sustainability Assessments · Sustainable Chemistry · Bio-based Chemicals
Achim Raschka
Head of Technology & Markets
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 151 203 018 13
Carbon Capture & Utilisation · Industrial Biotechnology · Bio-based Chemicals
Katharina Raters
Designer
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 (0)2233 - 460 14 00
MS Office Support · Presentation Design · Editorial Design
Verena Roberts
Project Manager
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 173 - 652 10 02
Renewable Carbon Initiative · Coordination · Communication
Pauline Ruiz
Expert
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 173 3825800
Polymer Science · Life Cycle Assessments · Sustainable Chemistry
Anke Schwarzenberger
Project Manager
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 173 663 25 83
Dissemination · Communication · Press
Pia Skoczinski
Senior Expert
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 151 - 14 95 34 39
Technology & Markets · Industrial Biotechnology · Carbon Capture & Utilisation
Daniel Steeg
Senior Expert
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 (0)2233 - 460 14 00
Software Development · Databases
Matthias Stratmann
Head of Sustainability
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 173 38 25 478
Sustainability Assessments · Life Cycle Assessments · Sustainability Consulting
Dominik Vogt
Head of Conferences
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 151 - 19 52 47 30
Conference Management · Communication · RCI Member Support
Christopher vom Berg
Executive Manager Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI)
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 151 599 798 80
Economy & Policy · Renewable Carbon Strategy · Sustainability
Aaron Wilde
Head of Design
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 (0)2233 - 460 14 00
Conceptual Design · Corporate Design · Infographics & Icons
Pia Witt
Designer
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 (0)2233 - 460 14 00
Corporate Design · Editorial Design & Advertising · Webdesign & Social Media
Nadja Wulff
Expert
Mail: [email protected]
Tel.: +49 162 49 45 745
Life Cycle Assessment · Fine Chemicals · Chemical Recycling