2025
Winner of the Saxon State Prize for Transfer – Spin-off Category: ILK Dresden and AQVA Synergy GmbH represent successful deep-tech entrepreneurship and resilient energy solutions.
The Free State of Saxony honors projects that advance knowledge transfer, startup ecosystems, and sustainable economic growth. Other nominees included TU Dresden (CF LAB) and Leipzig University (Ester Biotech).
At the core is AQVA Synergy, an innovative startup originating from ILK Dresden. Its mission is to harness natural and artificial water reservoirs as reliable, year-round heat sources. The key technology is high-efficiency ice slurry systems, enabling sector coupling and climate-neutral district energy solutions. It connects heating, cooling, and electricity, increasing resilience in urban energy systems.
A major environmental advantage: water as a natural refrigerant is emission-free, safe, and sustainable. This reduces CO2 emissions and replaces fossil fuels. The technology offers high efficiency, flexible integration, and scalable solutions for cities and municipalities.
The strong partnership between science and startup demonstrates how cutting-edge research transforms into market-ready innovation.
2024
INNOspace Masters Competition – DLR Call Won!
First place in the “Applied Research for Disruptive Innovation” challenge of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) goes to “StellarHeal,” an innovative solution for wound care and healing in space. The consortium includes the Institute of Air Handling and Refrigeration (Holger Reinsch, ILK Dresden), Fraunhofer ISC, Fraunhofer ITEM (Dr. Dieter Groneberg, Dr. Bastian Christ), and Hannover Medical School (Prof. Nico Lachmann). On October 9, 2024, the winners of the international INNOspace Masters Competition were announced in Berlin. A total of 445 participants from 24 countries submitted 199 entries.
The challenge: impaired wound healing due to microgravity and radiation. StellarHeal accelerates healing, reduces infection risks, and improves resource efficiency. At its core is a hemostatic fiber scaffold with biodegradable properties, also suitable for chronic wounds on Earth. ILK Dresden plays a key role: its LifeScience team is developing a cryopreservable cell carrier gel for space medicine and regenerative medicine. It preserves cells long-term, positions them precisely, provides temporary wound closure, and supplies nutrients for immediate cell activity. Task-optimized cells promote tissue regeneration and suppress fibrosis and infections.
With over 30 years of experience, ILK Dresden offers ISO 9001-certified laboratories and comprehensive analytics for medical devices, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. The project strengthens technology transfer, NewSpace innovation, and global competitiveness.
2022
With over 30 years of experience, ILK Dresden offers ISO 9001-certified laboratories and comprehensive analytics for medical devices, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. The project strengthens technology transfer, NewSpace innovation, and global competitiveness.
The prestigious award honors innovative partnerships that advance environmental protection and climate action. ColdHubs stands out with energy-efficient, solar-powered walk-in cold rooms that close critical cold chain gaps in Nigeria and across the African continent. This significantly reduces post-harvest losses, increases farmer income, and improves food security.
The project addresses a key challenge in Africa: lack of cooling infrastructure leading to major food losses. ColdHubs delivers a scalable, sustainable solution for agriculture, agribusiness, and food supply chains. Smallholder farmers benefit from extended shelf life, improved market access, and higher value creation.
ILK Dresden played a crucial role by leading technical research, developing the prototype design, and optimizing energy-efficient cooling systems for tropical environments. The Smallholders Foundation contributed regional expertise, market access, and on-the-ground implementation.
The award, received by Dr. Goldberg on November 1, 2022, at Harvard, highlights the project’s global impact. ColdHubs strengthens sustainable development, climate protection, renewable energy adoption, and economic growth in Africa.
2021
© Sächsische Staatsministerium für Energie, Klimaschutz, Umwelt und Landwirtschaft
eku-innovativ Future Prize 2021: ILK Dresden’s industrial research success with “AQVA-HEAT”
This year, ILK Dresden, in collaboration with LuxChemtech GmbH, was awarded the eku – FUTURE PRIZE for Energy, Climate, and Environment in Saxony. The award recognized the development of a recycling process for lithium bromide solutions from absorption refrigeration systems. Through this, the project made an important contribution to resource conservation and the sustainable use of working fluids in refrigeration and energy technology.
The focus is on the “AQVA-HEAT” research project, led by Christoph Steffan. The goal is to use surface water as a sustainable heat source for local and district heating networks. The core innovation is liquid ice technology at the triple point of water: it enables particularly efficient energy conversion while simultaneously producing pumpable ice.
The key advantage: liquid ice functions as a flexible, independent energy storage medium with high storage density. Heat and cold can be generated, stored, and utilized independently of each other as needed. This increases supply security, system efficiency, and resilience in neighborhood and district heating solutions.
Furthermore, as a natural refrigerant, water is emission-free, safe, and sustainable—a clear contribution to CO₂ reduction and the heat transition. AQVA-HEAT demonstrates how applied industrial research delivers innovative, scalable solutions for climate-neutral energy systems.
The following year, the project was also nominated for the German Resource Efficiency Award. A video was produced in connection with this, offering a glimpse into the project:
2018
German Refrigeration Award 2018: Efficiency breakthrough through innovation by EAW Energieanlagenbau and ILK Dresden.
On May 6, 2018, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) honored outstanding refrigeration technologies. In the highly competitive category “Refrigeration or air-conditioning innovation,” EAW Energieanlagenbau GmbH and ILK Dresden achieved second place—demonstrating the power of collaboration between science and SMEs.
At the core is the newly developed WEGRACAL C absorption chiller using water as a natural refrigerant. The system utilizes industrial waste heat, combined heat, power and cooling (CHPC), and solar thermal energy to deliver highly efficient, sustainable cooling with minimal electricity consumption.
The key efficiency gain: By integrating compact plate heat exchangers for the first time, system volume was reduced by up to 40% while maintaining performance. At the same time, material usage, operating costs, and internal energy consumption were significantly lowered. This innovation enhances energy efficiency, improves carbon footprint, and enables cost-effective solutions for industry and building services.
ILK Dresden contributed advanced research expertise in thermodynamics and system engineering, while EAW, as an innovative SME, ensured industrial implementation.
2016
German Refrigeration Award 2016: Industrial research success at ILK Dresden.
On April 11, 2016, Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks presented the €10,000 award for best innovation to ILK project leader Marcus Honke. With a liquid ice-based system for highly efficient cold storage and distribution, ILK Dresden secured first place. The development, driven by ILK Dresden, exemplifies successful industrial research and technology transfer in refrigeration engineering.
A key advantage of liquid ice technology is its high storage density and superior heat transfer performance. This enables peak load reduction, demand-based cooling, and substantial CO2 emission savings. As a result, it represents a key technology for climate-friendly cooling and the energy transition.
The German Refrigeration Award, granted by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), recognizes innovative low-emission refrigeration solutions. The competition is endowed with a total of €52,500.
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