CFAs: Composites Global Innovation Challenge for Startups and SMEs

Deadline: 3 October 2024

Are you a pioneering SME, startup in fiber composites, or a leading researcher at an institute? Picture a world where your innovation flourishes, your solutions make an impact, and you’re driving industry change alongside industry leaders. If this resonates with you, then Collab Composite is your platform.

SAAB and Hitachi Energy are collaborating in finding innovative solutions in the highly demanding and highly regulated world of composites products. They share the challenges regardless of if the end use is in aeronautical- or electrical insulating applications.

Inspections, testing, and quality control are critical elements of the production process. With the rapid development of sensors, machine learning and other tools there is an opportunity to make this process smarter, faster and safer. They are eager to learn about your technology and solutions that can drive this technology and make composites even more reliant and cost effective.

Challenge

Saab Challenge
- Saab have a very diversified portfolio where the composites can be found in ground operations equipment, surface vessels, radar system and flying product, both in the high-performance defense sector and the high-volume civilian sector. Saab is looking for your support, technology or solutions that can assist them in making the composites production faster and more cost efficient. This could be through Nondestructive testing (NDT) solutions, automated and digitally intelligent inspections and measurements, automated quality inspection and smart or predictable operations.
Hitachi Energy Challenge
- Hitachi Energy manufacturers composites that are in use in high voltage electrical insulation that make up an integral part of different components in the electrical grid. Today Hitachi Energy is experiencing an unprecedented global market growth due to the transition to renewable energy, the electrification of society and an ageing infrastructure. To be able to supply the increased demands Hitachi Energy is looking for new solutions and technologies to manufacture composites. Areas of interest in composite manufacturing are improved quality control methods such as automated and digitally intelligent inspections and measurements or new sensor or detections systems for control.

Benefits

For Start-Ups
- As a start-up active in the field of fiber composites, they place you in front of world-leading companies to solve industry challenges together. You will get the opportunity to:
  - Showcase your products & services
  - Prove your innovative power
  - Start funded proof-of-concept projects with industry partners
  - Get access to competence and testbeds
  - Create strong business relationships
  - Broaden your business network
  - Get direct access to experts at Saab and Hitachi Energy, the industry partners
For Industry Leaders
- Fiber composite carries the potential to dramatically improve a wide range of applications where traditional composites, metals, and other heavy materials have been dominant. But it must happen now. Collab aims to find innovative applications and usage from renewable and sustainable fiber composites. For example:
  - Develop new manufacturing methods
  - Apply fiber composite to new markets and areas of use
  - Improve composite quality and sustainability
  - Reduce the environmental impact of production
  - Partnerships with state-of-the-art start-ups
  - Boost time and cost efficiency in manufacturing

Who they are looking for?

Looking for companies:
- in Process Improvement, Sustainability, Defense Industry, Aviation Industry, Recycling, Energy & Cleantech, Smart Manufacturing, Quality Monitoring, Composites, Advanced Materials
- located in Africa, Asia, Australia/NZ, Eastern Europe, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America
- incorporated or not
- idea, prototype, users or paying users stage
- have raised funding or not
- currently raising or not raising funds
- have revenue or not